Do You See Me?
by taiyou-no-tsuki
Summary: So here we are again, about to take this walk. I wonder, where will you be? Will you be beside me, before or behind me? Truly, where will you go? FINISHED...
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I do not own Slamdunk. I know that. This is just for formalities.. hehe.. Libre naman ang mangarap diba?

* * *

I have written the prologue in the first person, because I think that it achieves a more personal level of communication between the characters and the reader… just my thoughts!

* * *

**Do You See Me?**

"Let's go?" He opened the palm of his hand, waiting for mine to close the gap with his own. We started to walk down the same path that we first treaded 10 years ago. For as long as my memory can recall, we've always stepped down this road, day after day, only to find out we would still cross the same steps tomorrow.

He had always been a friend, I say this with a smile, but I do not know why, somewhere, some part of me, I can feel a hole emerging – engulfing me in emptiness as the days go by.

He calls my name and I look up to see that he is already ahead of me, near yet far enough from my grasp to reach him. And as I stood there, watching, he walked up to me and dragged me back to reality.

That is right. To him I am a friend, will always will be. Perhaps, that is as close as I can get - as close as I can get to his heart. I should not think of this.

I glance up at him, his face a portrait of peace, as the sun that escaped from the prying fingers of leaves lightly strike his face, his whole being being bathed in the setting of the sun.

I am beside him, yet I cannot embrace him. I realized I have not spoken of anything. I have not conversed. All this time, I was drifting, thinking, wandering, wondering.

Then he stopped and let go of my hand.

My eyes searched his for an answer as to why. Then I too came to realize that in this short passing of time, we now stood in front of the gateway to my house.

"Well then, I'll see you tomorrow?" I smiled not at the question he himself knows the answer to. "I'll see you tomorrow." I replied. The question lingered in my mind. It began to change in face. And that is the reason for my smile. 'Will you see me tomorrow too?' I realized I too know the answer to that. 'I guess not.'

* * *

Hmmm… yes, I do know the answer to the question that lingers in your mind. You ask, who is the guy then? Well, please do take a guess. All I know is, in my own opinion, he seems to be a balance of someone who would be like a buddy friend, and someone you could pursue on a romantic level as well… I don't think that helped at all… hehe… review anyways! thanks! 


	2. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Slamdunk. I know that. This is just for formalities.. hehe.. Libre naman ang mangarap diba?

* * *

First and foremost, setting aside the disclaimer, I would like to sincerely thank Jwei Lih and hybrid priestess for reviewing… good guess by the way hybrid priestess… and for ivy poison, I will only say that ayako and ryota will play a huge part on this story… I shall close my mouth now… hehe

oh yeah, the story will follow the pattern present, past, present, past… It is like the intertwining of time, and well the past will help to explain things a little, and I hope that I will be successful in helping it catch up with the present… ;) anyways, enough of my rambling, on with the story…

* * *

**Do You See Me?**

**_Flashback_  
**

Class had already ended, notebooks were closed, pencils tucked away, heavy books inserted into the folds of the bag that was immediately zipped up, anchored to both shoulders, and exited class.

The school corridors were almost bare, a few students were left behind for clean-up, and from the second floor a clear view of students indulging themselves in a game of basketball could be seen, the ball not nearly reaching the rim of the net most of the time, and if it did, it almost never went in.

I sat on an empty swing and held its handles with both hands; it creaked softly as I rocked myself back and forth with my feet. "That is not the way to do it." A boy not much older than me sat on the empty swing beside me and began to swing himself back and forth, starting out slow, then gradually gaining speed, until I had to crane my neck up to see him; the wind as he waved with each swing fluttering a few strands of my hair.

Then, as he reached his maximum height, he swayed past by me, I followed him and saw his hands let go of the handles and reach for the sky, jumping off the swing, soaring through the air before landing quite roughly on the grass, rolling until he stopped beside a sign that read, "Keep off the grass". He laid an arm on his stomach as he breathed in deeply and as I came forward to see how he was, he closed his eyes, appearing quite dizzy to me. It was then that the sprinkler started to spin, and water sprayed on him. I could not help but laugh as laughter had invited me to. "Who are you?" I managed to splutter out in between laughs.

"Why should I tell it to someone who laughed at me?" He scowled and immediately helped himself up, dusting his uniform of the grass and the few loose soil that clung to his white shirt and black pants. He breathed in; relishing every piece of air entering his lungs, it was as if he could smell its fragrance.

I dug onto my pocket for the handkerchief that I always kept, but as soon as I offered it to him he closed my open palm and pushed the hand that I offered, back to me. "You do know you're gonna catch a cold with that do you?" Instead, he adjusted his collar and wiped his face with his sleeve. "Nah, unlike you," He pointed a finger at me, "I'm invincible." I smiled as I pocketed my handkerchief. "We'll see." With my forefinger I tapped his nose playfully.

It was there in the presence of the falling cherry blossoms, the cool air that brushed against my cheek, of the last warmth's of the retreating sun, that we first treaded the path that would become a path that we would cross for days, months, and years after that. Our footsteps one after the other, out of synchrony, but at the same time creating a melody of an irregular beat of drums. Followed by a series of sneezes and sniffles that still echo with the wind, whispering, "Didn't I tell you so?"

* * *

Well, another short chapter… hmm.. please do review! And as always, I hope that you do enjoy it.. it's not much in size.. hehe.. Thanks again! 


	3. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Slamdunk. I know that. This is just for formalities.. hehe.. Libre naman ang mangarap diba?

* * *

I would also like to thank autumnchloe and simmic for reviewing… I'm glad that the first person point of view works for you simmic, and for autumnchloe I believe your question has already been answered or rather has been successfully guessed…

* * *

**Do You See Me?**

Here we go again, you call my name. With a "Hey" you greet me as the school opens its gates. I am too late. The crowd already swallows you. It is hard to see you, and soon I see you not at all, and so I walk, walk alone. "There you are!" You yell in my ears with both of your hands on my shoulders, trying to weigh them down.

"It's easy to get lost in a crowd like this. Especially when the festival's just started. So don't let go of my hand." I raised my hand to hold up my pinky finger, my head tilted to one side, indicating that you too should do what I had just done. Briefly glancing at the crowd for a second, you hesitantly bring your finger at level with mine. "Promise." I wrapped my finger around yours and start to break through the crowd. Then we ourselves are lost in it.

Amidst the sea with which we started to drown ourselves in, I could barely see your face, but that rare moment when you peered from out the waves was enough for me to see you give a wary glance now and then, here and there, so I released my hold on you, the crowd filling in the space that grew between us, and soon, we would be lost, lost alone.

Yet you made the crowd part, squeezed through the minute space in between them that they were still reluctant to give, and with a firm grip, your pinky finger found itself back to mine. "I told you not to let go." You turned your back against me, becoming a shield to the rampage of bodies, shoes, bags, and everything in between. Gone was the hesitation from your eyes, that this hold was a depiction of weakness. I saw the crowd disappear before you; maybe you no longer cared for their thoughts nor their words.

Then it was my turn to catch the syndrome. I felt blood rush to my cheeks, more than it needed, the temperature in and around me rise, but your earlier sacrifice crossed my eyes, and I felt all the symptoms dissipate to the blue sky. And soon I was all alone, alone with you.

I felt a tap on my shoulder, and it was you holding a mask that covered your face. As you switched from happy to sad, merry to mad, you made me want to get one, so that I too could overlap the sad with this mask. So that I too could look happy when truly I am laced with sad. So that I could be angry at you, even though you surely know that I can only reach disappointment, and be what? Sad. Enough of this word, its existence makes me sad.

I grab for myself a mask of happiness, while again you grab yet another. I see you wear the mask of confusion. Cleary right now, you are the reflection to what I am inside. Confused. But before I could ask you to switch with me, the students who guard this booth waved us away with their hands, and you waste no time in complaining.

"You think I really liked those masks? I have better ones." I wonder, when you said that, did you think before you said it? Or did it simply flow out of your mouth? As I think about it more and more, my head slowly begins to nod in agreement. "See, she agrees with me." With one last childlike taunt, you drag me away from the house of masks, from the masks that I so long for, and yet I know I have better ones, like what you said, they are with me every single hour, minute, second, millisecond of the day. Yes, I agree that I have better masks, so good, even you cannot see past them.

* * *

Another short chapter from me… short but longer than the previous ones, guess I am warming up to letting the story build itself, rather than planning it out. I hope it is not too confusing with the present, past, present, thing I am going with in here… anyways, thanks for reading and please drop by a review! Thank you again and again… 


	4. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own Slamdunk. I know that. This is just for formalities.. hehe.. Libre naman ang mangarap diba?

* * *

dUeRre: salamat sa pag-review! magkakaalaman na sa chapter an 'to! hehe

* * *

**Do You See Me?**

**_Flashback _  
**

5 minutes late. Aunt told me she'd fetch me after school, and she's 5 minutes late. Calm down. Look around. There are others waiting for the same thing. Waiting to be fetched.

"Shoot Mitsui!" I turned my head at the direction of the noise and at that moment my eyes widened as the boy I saw from the swing sailed through the air, arms outstretched, and with a flick of his wrist, released the ball he'd been aiming in an arc, I almost thought it would go in, but alas it did not. His face showed no signs of frustration; he was back in the game. I watch him elude his opponents, could see him close to achieving his goal only for chance to be stolen by his opponent. He did not spare it a thought as he chased him down, guarding him with such intensity, with such burning passion in his eyes. Mitsui. Could that be perhaps, his name?

10 minutes late. Little by little, those who stood with me started to disappear. They left, taking the hands of their parents, and their parents welcoming theirs, I began to wonder what it would have been like to have a family all over again. There is not much that I know, but I do know this. My mother left me and my father for another man, my dad is somewhere abroad looking for a job, and so here I am. Do not cry! Quick! Blink. Blink. Think of something, anything, even everything. Stop the tears from running.

"Are you crying?" What kind of question is that, Mitsui? My head remained low and bowed, the bangs of my hair framing my face, hiding my eyes. "My aunt's late." It was a lie, a white lie. He need not know of that. I raised my hand to wipe the tears that escaped my guard, but he already had his hand at the back of my neck, bowing it lower, and instead I took my sleeve to dry it. "Finally, you're catching up."

15 minutes late. "Hisashi!" I saw him turn; smile, and run towards a certain lady I presumed to be his mom. In his haste he forgot his bag. He rushed back to get it, sparing me a wave and a smile. The gate closed right behind him.

Hisashi. That was his name. "Karin!" That's me. Finally. My Aunt's head rose from the car, and a wave of relief washed over me. I took my bag, crossed the street with her, back to the same car I rode this morning, to the same street we passed by on the way to school, to the same house I now live in, to the same room I now sleep in.

I touched the sleeve of my uniform and found it dry. He was the reason I stopped crying. He was the something, the anything, and the everything that made me forget. He was Mitsui Hisashi.

* * *

Hmm.. now you know at least one of the not so good things about her, and one of these is impatience. It might sound like 5 minutes and she's complaining? But I think I'm just trying to apply a bit of humanity in here, I don't want her to be the almost too good to be real character… we need a balance… anyways, please review! Thanks you as always for taking the time to read… 


	5. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own Slamdunk. I know that. This is just for formalities.. hehe.. Libre naman ang mangarap diba?

* * *

Calliope Medina Erato: thanks for reviewing, they are close friends, and well the guy's been revealed in chapter 3.

Simmic: thanks again for reviewing… short answer for your question would be, the story goes through a present, past, present, past, pattern, so yeah… there has been I think 3 chapters in the present, including this one… as for the first day of the protagonist.. I would have to say it would be Chapter 1. I do not follow a certain timeline though, because Karin is represented here as a sort of narrator too, but people don't remember every thing that happened in their life, so neither will she, so that's why there's no definite timeline, and as well in telling stories it can't be avoided that we might have left out something, and so we go back again, and those flashbacks sort of simulate that way…

* * *

**Do You See Me?**

Exams start tomorrow. Why does it have to be tomorrow? The reminders I have given you to study have almost become my current obsession. I have placed stick-its in all of your books, notebooks, calculator, to remind you, but it seems to me that they have collected their own generation of dust. The ones located in your locker shows no signs of the presence of DNA - your DNA. Truly, you could care less.

I see you beside my locker waiting and before I could take a step closer you snatched my bag off my shoulders and the books from my hands, tugging at my hand to walk faster, leading me towards my locker. I start to turn it, aligning the arrow with the specific combination, but luck seemed to strike out for as my hands tried to pull it open, the sound of the triumphant click was absent, replaced by the stubborn resistance of an unsuccessful attempt.

I was about to start on my third attempt when everything, books and all, was shoved right back into my unsuspecting arms, and you take on the task of spinning the combination with such agility and accuracy that it instantly became the top score in the category of fastest time in opening my locker.

It surprised me that you knew the combination, but then again, of the ages that it usually took for me to open it, it's no wonder you were able to memorize it, out of the countless times I took agonizingly slow in turning the right combination, it unexpectedly turned into a habit.

"Shit! I'm-" A very fake but serious cough interrupted your train of thought. "I mean, shoot, I'm late for practice." And you're late because… of me? Instead of the usual almost jokingly punch you give to your friends, you ruffle my hair to which my usual reply is, "I'm not a dog!" my head still bowed in embarrassment.

"Besides," Here comes my defence. "Nobody asked you to wait for me, you could've just gone you know." Two rather rough taps came connecting with my back. The grip I had on my books tightened, one strap of my bag coming loose off my shoulder. "You know I'm just joking right?" I arranged my dishevelled hair, re-positioned the strap on my shoulder, and adjusted the books to line up in my arms.

"Well, I am, but I'm not. You know what I mean." With another glance at your wristwatch, "Now I'm really late, Coach Anzai will –" you grabbed your sports bag, flung it to your shoulders and was about to take off when I stuck a stick-it note on your forehead. "Study for tomorrow."

You rip the note off of your forehead, and I could just about picture the word revenge written all over your face when I extinguished the fire by reminding you that you were in fact, late.

You started to run, looking back once, twice, giving me a glance that you'll have to make me pay later when you had the time. You ran as fast as your legs could carry you, or as fast as you could carry your legs, whichever way it may be, as long as you reach the gym.

Torn papers from failed math calculations litter the floor; canisters containing lead slowly run out, the eraser soon to vanish into non-existence. Tapping of the pen has become my new mantra, followed by the crumpling of another unfortunate paper absent-mindedly tossed to the perceived spot of the trashcan, exactly where a pile was forming. Upon seeing that trash occupied every recognizable space around the trashcan but not in it, a sigh of frustration escaped my lips as I laid on my back, an arm on my forehead to block out the light.

The door opened and the mere crumpled papers are now crushed by the weight of a foot and had not wasted any time to throw in a comment. "Whoa, planning to write a novel?" By the sound of the voice, I instantly knew who it was. "Hisashi, what are you doing here?"

You tried as best you could to avoid the pieces of paper scattered around the floor as you made your way to me. "I found out that your aunt would be preparing good food so I stopped by." I opened an eye to give you a look, but was prevented by the blinding white light.

Soon, the steady rhythm of crumpled paper being put to where they truly belonged filled my ears. "Actually I came here to study." I raised myself to my elbows surprised to hear such a statement come directly from you I wish I had seen it. You held out a hand and when I took hold of it, you pulled me up, helping me to sit.

"So, what are we studying first?" The scent of food seeped in from the kitchen. My mouth started to water, and my stomach grumble. Unconsciously I gave in, closing the book I had previously laboured on studying. "Shall we?" You stood by the open door, inviting me. I could not resist.

"I bet I can study longer than you." Is that a challenge, Hisashi. Well, anything to motivate you. "You're on."

A few hours past by, and the signs of weariness began to show. My head felt lighter, my eyes weaker, my lids heavier, my brain becoming emptier or fuller, or just numb from all the information I tried to cram into it. From the corner I could see you read your physics book, but I could take it no longer and I laid my head to rest on my notes. Before my memory left me, I saw the book fall from your grasp, revealing your head sleeping soundly in it's hiding. I too felt my lids fall shut sleep finding its way to me. Truce. Then, there was nothing.

* * *

Thank you once again, (I cannot repeat this too many times) for reading my fic. I did notice I'm starting to write longer parts… yey! 


	6. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I do not own Slamdunk. I know that. This is just for formalities.. hehe.. Libre naman ang mangarap diba?

* * *

coffeemaverick: thank you so much for your review... well... Mitsui is a character that i would say it more well-rounded, and isn't too much of an extreme with one attitude... i like the guy too.. hehe.. hope you'll keep on reading! 

Calliope Medina Erato: thank you for continuing to read my fic… I'm glad that your guess was right… and I'm also glad that the title started to blossom in your mind… but of course as I portray it with the past few chapters, it's been mostly figuratively, or mentally, but things will start to go into a transition soon enough, and everything will become more clearer. ;)

autumnchloe: I'm glad that you were also able to tell that it was Mitsui… and well, yeah, they are best friends with Mitsui, although he has lots of best friends, she's one of them… and I'm also very glad to know that you see yourself in her, because one of my plans was to come up with a character that was believable, or more, that you could picture existing as someone from your school, from your group of friends, you know…

* * *

**Do You See Me?**

**_Flashback_****  
**

"Today, we have a science test that will take the form of a trust-walk."

"A trust-walk?" I noticed I had voiced out my thoughts and quickly raised my hand to appease Ms. Hayane, our science teacher. She disliked students who don't raise their hand before saying anything. She glanced briefly at me before answering my question. "Yes, a trust-walk. You will be getting into partners, one blindfolded and the other one leading his/her partner to different parts of the school."

I turned back to find Ayako's seat, the person I trust the most in this class. I motioned for her seatmate to tap her, and when I did get her attention, I signalled by pointing to myself, then to her, and repeating it in the same fashion until she understood and nodded her head in agreement. I turned back to the teacher. She doesn't like students not paying attention while she's talking.

"There will be volunteer students from another class stationed in these specific sites to ask you a question and you are to repeat the same process until you are finished."

A buzz started to occur about the contract of who will be whose partner until the teacher called for the attention of the class. "I will be the one in charge of getting you a partner. This is a trust- walk. How will it be a trust-walk if you are already walking with a person whom you already trust?"

The class groaned. A girl from the fifth row raised her hand. "Does it include going down the stairs?" Silence turned the class into a ghost town. All eyes were on Ms. Hayane, the anticipation almost killing me. "Of course, how do you expect to go down the second floor?"

I swallowed a lump that was forming in my throat. "What if we fall down?" Another questioned. "Well, you just have to be careful." Another lump. Whispers began to erupt from the silence.

"How many people are in this class?" The class chorused, "35, ma'am." The teacher thought for a while, it might be the issue of the odd person.

The class was divided into 6 rows and 6 columns, the 35th person sitting in the 5th column. She divided us in the 3rd row and labelled the two halves group A and B. I belonged to group A. Ayako belonged to group B. She instructed group A to count off from 1-17 starting from the last person of the first column and moving up and down that path. Originally, we would be paired up with someone from group B, but our group had two number 1's. I was one.

You could look at the situation in two ways. Either she was the outcast, or I was. To solve this problem, we did it the old fashion way. Rock, paper, scissors. When the results showed, she had rock, and I had… scissors. I lost. I was the odd person out.

"Don't worry," The teacher reassured me. "The period 4 class will be doing the same activity this afternoon. Let me see if they have a spare."

And Ms. Hayane came back with… you. "He will be your trust-walk partner for today. Mitsui Hisashi, please meet Takahashi Karin." She gave you a little push as an indication for you to approach me. "Take good care Mitsui, no pranks. Oh and here's the blindfold."

Ms. Hayane clapped her hands thrice before she got our full attention. "Now that we all have partners, Group B please head to the library, and Group A will go to the computer room. Good luck!"

"We're group A." I informed you before you started to take off my sense of sight with that blindfold. Soon I could only see… darkness. I tried to create a mental picture of what the room looked like, only to find out it converted into a circle of darkness. I did not know which way was right.

"Ok, just, walk straight." I bumped into a chair then rebounded from it, walking extra slow that the turtle would have won the race. It did win it. "Now, stop. Turn a bit left." I did as you told me too. "Now a bit right." I kept on echoing the words you said - a bit right. "Now, go straight again."

"Where are we?" You placed my hand on the door. "Outside of your classroom. Now turn very left." I followed your directions. "Not that left, you're facing me. Turn a little to the right. Stop right there and walk straight."

"Is this the computer room already?" I hear you answer, "Yeah." An unfamiliar voice sounded right in front of me. "What is anything that occupies space and has mass?" Was that question for me. You nudged my elbow, so I answered. "Matter." I felt my hands being guided the table and something rough and with no particular shape with a little weight rested on the palm of my hand. "Guess what state of matter is this." I began to feel it's rough edges and started to pound it to the table. "Solid, it's a rock." You guide my hand to dip into something wet. I felt for the glass and tried to smell something. Nothing. "Liquid, its water." Then I felt something rubbery and shaped like a circle. "Inside this is gas, it's helium." I hear somebody clapping his or her hands, and by the sound of it, it came from the front, so it had to be that unknown student I could not see. And wait, there's another sound, fainter than the first. If I had to guess, I'd say it was beside me. Was that you? "Congratulations, please proceed to the audiovisual room."

"Now we're out of the computer room. Just walk straight ahead. Don't worry; it's an empty corridor." I became more at ease, although my knees were still tense. "Turn a little bit right, you're walking left." It did not feel like it but I turned a little bit right anyways. "Good. Continue, and stop!"

I bumped into you. "Now take 2 steps back, another one, another one, ok. Whoo. We've reached the edge of the stairs." My knees began to wobble. "You mean I was about to fall?" I hear footsteps drawing nearer, until it stopped. "Sorry 'bout that. Can you side-step to the right?"

"Where's the handle?" My hand reached out into thin air, waving it slightly to reach the handle. Instead I hit you. "Sorry." Again you take my hand and put it to the railing. With both hands, I held onto it, a foot slowly sinking to take a step. I missed by a small fraction and ended up with my left foot landing on a lower step. "Are you alright?" I slowly raise myself up, clinging more than ever to the railing. "Yeah." I attempted another step. Success! "Take your time." Step by step.

"I'll just follow the railing." I faced straight ahead, though that was not probably where you were. I turned a 90-degree angle and turned right. "Is this the edge?"

"Nope, 3 more steps." I slid my floor until I felt it. Down. 8 times more and here I am on solid ground. "Good. Now straight." My foot connected with the garbage can. "Sorry. Turn slightly to your right. Ok. Take 5 steps. Now turn 90-degrees to the left. Now go straight."

You hold my elbow to stop me. You could have just said it. "What is the ability to do work?" I opened my mouth to answer when you beat me to it. "Energy." Now I remember we had to take turns. "Can you name 3 forms of energy?" Can you? "Solar, wind, and hydro." You're not as bad as I thought. "Please proceed to the Science Laboratory just at the end of the hall."

You push my back and I started to walk, with no sense of direction as to where is straight ahead. "A bit left." My walking must be crooked. "More left, more, more." My shoulder hit a wall. "Sorry, you ok?" I felt the wall and backed away from it. "I'm fine."

"There. Straight. Right, no, left now, right again, left, left, ok straight, a little to the left, straight, stop. We're here."

"What is the short term condition of the atmosphere? Long term condition?" I had answered both questions right, and we were told to go back to our classrooms. "Straight. Let me hold you." You grabbed my shoulder and started to walk, dragging me behind you.

"Mitsui!" That's Ms. Hayane's voice. "You know the rules, only direct her on which way to go. Keep in mind, trust-walk." You let go of my arm, the footsteps walking away from us.

"This is the foot of the stairs." I raised a foot, stepped down, nothing. I had missed. You chuckle from behind. "Your steps are so little!" I tried again. I can feel it. I hauled myself up, until I reached the familiar corner, followed the railing and walked until my foot hit the bottom of the steps. I climbed once, successful, twice, thrice, and I missed a step, but you caught me. "Take your time." You once again said. 7 more, and I'm done.

I allowed you to direct me with a series of the familiar straight, left's and rights that you always state. "We're here." I untied the blindfold, blinking a few times to adjust to the light. "You were good." It was meant to be a compliment. "If you don't count the bumps I've caused you."

You were good. If you weren't I would've fallen down the stairs and well the rest would've never happened. Or I would've scraped my knee. You were good.

Ms. Hayane ordered you to return to class and you replied by placing both hands on your pocket, exiting in a leisurely fashion, as if you owned the place.

At the last minutes of class, I sat down to talk with Ayako. "So, who was your partner?" She pointed to a curly haired boy who sat with his friend 3 seats diagonally back from hers. "So, did you bump him?" You closed the notes you copied from the blackboard and turned to face me. "He was such a scarty cat, clinging onto my arm like that. So anyways, I walked on ahead, to avoid him of course and I kept saying straight, straight, straight, then he yelled "ouch!" He collided head first with the wall."

Two hands covered Ayako's eyes and she immediately unsheathed her lethal fan. "Guess who this is, Aya-chan!" Slap! Right through the unfortunate forehead of, "Miyagi Ryota." You were about to corner him and beat him to dust when he raised both hands in the air in surrender. "You better leave me alone before I chop you up!"

Ring! It's time for recess. "See ya later, Aya-chan!" I could not help but laugh quietly to myself. You noticed it anyways. "Let's go, Aya-chan?" You eyes caught fire. "You too Karin!" I unleashed my puppy dog eyes. "Don't look at me like that."

* * *

Um… the longest yet that I have written for this story… reason for this? It's a trust-walk… ;) anyways, thank you for reading and review! 


	7. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I do not own Slamdunk. I know that. This is just for formalities.. hehe.. Libre naman ang mangarap diba?

* * *

Coffeemaverick: I liked that part too… figured she'd be annoyed with Mitsui not paying much attention to his studies which will be important later in life…

Simmic: yes, she's in second year in terms of the normal time.. but in that particular chapter, she's in grade 2…

* * *

**Do You See Me?**

"Incoming!" I see a ball slowly descending, towards me. As I caught it and stood there, wondering what I was supposed to do with it, the other team flew into a mad dash towards me. I pivoted my right foot to run out of instinct, but I instantly surrounded, hands reaching out, ripping off the flag attached to my waist. "Why didn't you run?" Right. This was flag football. I blacked out. Panicked when I caught the ball.

Mr. Sato, the substitute teacher, blew the whistle and we rushed in and gathered around him. "We're starting basketball tomorrow, so see you on the court tomorrow. Until then, class dismissed. Girls giggled and squealed at the thought of setting foot in the gym. Right. Coach Anzai will be teaching us starting tomorrow. Our P.E. teacher got into an accident one night as he was driving home. Details about the accident weren't revealed. Rumours only made it hard to believe.

"Rukawa! Rukawa! L-O-V-E Rukawa!" A tournament? I tried to enter unnoticed but the fan club blocking the entrance did not seem to notice my effort in not getting in their way. Despite the "I'm sorry's" and "excuse me's" I gave them, they returned it graciously with a death glare that seemed to say, "Do not block our view of Rukawa-kun".

Ayako and Ryota were back to arguing again. "You! Back to practice!" Ayako waved her enormous fan skilfully. "But my back hurts Aya-chan." Miyagi was crouching low, a hand on his lower back, massaging the spot. "Do you want me to break it for real?" In an instant, Miyagi straightened up and scratched the back of his head. "I suddenly feel better! Thank you, Aya-chan!" Miyagi hurriedly made his way to the court, intercepting a pass to Sakuragi.

"Karin!" I waved back at Ayako despite the protests of the fan club that they did not get a clear view of Rukawa's previous slam-dunk. I managed to escape their claws and reach Ayako's table, taking a look at her records.

"Long time we haven't seen you here." I smiled apologetically, fiddling with my fingers behind my back. "Ok, what is it?" My eyes widened at the direct question. "What do you mean?" Ayako placed a hand at her waist and raised a suspicious eyebrow at me. "Come on, I know you need something. What is it?" I smiled awkwardly, took a deep breath and released it. "I need help in learning basketball."

She chuckled at my revelation. "And this is the "important thing" I thought you needed? Why don't you ask Mitsui? Isn't he your "friend"?" I laid a hand across the table and leaned over. "You see," I glanced at Mitsui as he received a perfectly timed pass from Miyagi. "I was wondering if you could teach me instead." Ayako drew in closer, as if I was unveiling a secret. Maybe I am.

"And why is that?" I straightened myself, crossing my arms in defence. "Cause!" At the raised eyebrow, "He just so good, and I'll just make a fool of myself." Ayako burst in a fit of laughter, holding her stomach with both hands, backing up until she reached her chair and steadied herself with one hand on its back. "Speaking like that. Makes it seem as if you like him or something."

I blushed and brought my gaze to the ground. "Well?" Her face drew closer like a detective inspecting a clue left behind. Maybe I did. "Do you?" She was looking directly at my eyes I had to look away. "N-no." Ayako had a smile that reached both ears and I just sighed, took a seat beside her and stayed for the ride.

I was leaning on the door when a shadow loomed over me – your shadow particularly. "So, Ayako mentioned you needed my help." I turned to face you, surprised at how close you really were. "Scared Karin?" Scared? Maybe I was. "You know, if I was as good as you in basketball, I'd already have challenged you on a one on one." A tap on the nose. "But your not." You welcome my glare with a smile. It subdued my anger effortlessly. You should be cursed for that.

"I have racket-eye coordination ok? Hand-eye coordination? Close to none." A pat on the head. "Think of the racket as an extension of your hand. How about that?" You lean in closer, adjusting your height to mine. "FYI, the racket has a bigger palm against a smaller ball, while I have a smaller palm against the basketball." Two pats on the head. "Let's just practice ok?"

You walk towards the bench on which your bag lay and unzipped it. From the inside, you scoop up a jersey and hand it over to me. "You can be Shohoku #14 for today. Don't worry, it just came from the dry cleaners." But the wink that followed I made me doubtful. I slipped it on, in which case, I believed you. "At least now you look the part, even when you're horrible in real play." I decided to let it go, seeing as you might refuse to teach me if I retorted.

It started with warm-ups. Running around the court 5 times, arm, back, shoulder, calf, and hamstring stretches, a quick water break, then dribbling. Dribbling while stationary, dribbling while running, then passing before I called it quits.

"Oh come on, how could you quit so easily?" Here's a thought. Why do your questions, remarks, comments, have something to do with what I feel? Maybe it's an omen. Maybe it is. "I do not quit so easily, I just couldn't keep up with you." I gave myself to exhaustion, didn't wait for what you said. Just closed my eyes and slept. If I could, I would've wept, instead.

* * *

Well… another chapter, getting shorter again.. hehe.. anyways… not much to note about the chapter… just hope you enjoyed it… the questions I raise in each chapter… hehehe.. 


	8. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I do not own Slamdunk. I know that. This is just for formalities.. hehe.. Libre naman ang mangarap diba?

* * *

Calliope Medina Erato: for chapter 5, well I think that Mitsui just had his conscience with him, and therefore you wouldn't want to injure someone who has practically allowed you to be her eyes… also feelings are very evident in Chapter 7… Mitsui doesn't notice that… hmm… I would be glad to tell you… but… I would like you to have your own suspicions… and the answer of course I will insert in a future chapter… Ayako noticing too also has a whole new reason… ;)

Coffeemaverick: you're right on with everything you've said... and to add to that, i think that as you are reading the story, it almost seems as if you take on the character, because of elements such as I, and seeing things in her point of view, and the content is only based on what she has experienced, so it's very concentrated, and you also get inside her thoughts, and so in a way, it reaches deeper into you, and so i think it has this kind of effect... i'm really glad...

Simmic: um… there are 2 stages to that… first is I would've used her instead of you, since I also thought of the same thing that "you" directly referred to him, but the superficial reason is that I would not wanted to call Ayako as just a her, because it doesn't really sound as if they were close… however, the deeper meaning will be revealed later in the story… there is a good reason… heheh..

* * *

**A/N:** I actually feel that you're catching up to things pretty fast... it is a concentrated fic so there isn't a lot of places to go...so i almost feel as if i have to be careful of what i say or i might reveal the plot... i will not say much because i know you will discover it anyways... i'm starting to think you can read Karin's mind... hehehe...

updates tend to be early... well because... i often think of one itsy bitsy chapter of mine... for like a couple of hours... and of course being a reader myself in here, sometimes cliffhangers just kill me, so that's why every chapter are almost independent in a way, and sometimes a really great and long chapter comes along for like the price of time... but since i have lots of time available to me for the moment, i'm making use of it.. so i'm always ahead... just in case i lose this privilege... besides i don't follow order so i know the chapters nearing the end, but in between that i still have to check again to make sure i'm not straying away, and i have to think of what connects with that... hate it when that happens though.. hehehe.. oh my gosh.. too much talking.. here, just read the story...

**Do You See Me?**

**_Flashback_  
**

A weave of silk, the flutter of fans, a swirl of umbrellas, the quilt of music and air, everything a haze until you are awakened by the echo of thunder.

Lightning flashed. Thunder roared. A thunder of praise enveloped the stage.

The school performance had ended. The theatre buzzed like a swarm of bees on a sunny day.

The crowd became a strong current in the sea, my attempts at escaping it turned to futility, so I flowed with it. I rode with the current till the cool breeze grazed my cheek, and the cloudy skies gave way to the rays of the sun. I was relishing this newfound freedom from being entrapped by the crowd when they brought you outside.

"Karin, come with me, I have to look for my mom." I tried to explain to you that I was waiting for my aunt, but you didn't seem to hear, didn't even give me a breath to congratulate you on your outstanding performance. Just started to drag me back into a tide I did not wish to go against.

"Karin!" I looked to see Ayako coming up the steps. "Hi Ayako." That caused you to stop moving, though your eyes kept roaming for your mom. I thought you'd let go of my hand, as I tried to do with yours, for I did not wish to be at the receiving end of Ayako's tease. That has been her specialty among other things. But you did not; still busy searching the crowd. "Ooohh… I didn't know you guys were heading on to the next level." I tugged at your hand, but you only looked this way and that, still looking for the all too familiar face of your mother.

My current state of mind: blank. Mitsui was a friend, right? Because of one statement, my mind is messed up. Everything was organized, I knew what you were to me, I knew the feelings I held for you, and now, the puzzle became new to me. I had to put the pieces together with not a single clue as to what it might be. Ayako did something to me. Unlocked something I did not know was in me. Yet I do not know what conquered me, took control of my mind.

Before I could pull myself together and come up with an explanation, you started to drag me again, but another hand reached out and prevented you from doing so. "Let her go." That's right, my aunt will be looking for me. It was a tug of war, but I could not take sides, as I was preventing myself from losing my balance.

You won, and so we cut through the current, standing amidst the constant flow of people, we ran out of faces to look. Yet we still walked, walked along the path that became a merge of lives, though I never realized when I let go of yours and when you  
released mine.

* * *

Again.. getting shorter, going back to the shorter chapter styles… anyways, I hope you like it, there is a lot of symbolism going on with the chapters I have written, you probably noticed that, but the new 


	9. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I do not own Slamdunk. I know that. This is just for formalities.. hehe.. Libre naman ang mangarap diba?

* * *

Calliope Medina Erato: well… hmm… the questions you raise too as the story moves along… I do not know how to answer them… I do know… but I don't know a means of saying it without revealing my plan… there is already a chapter in the making that kind of answers that question… kind of… ;) hehehe.. and for the updating thing… it almost seems as if I've become somewhat of a reader… only difference is that I know what's going to happen… and how it's gonna end… snap shots only… I'm also interested in how the story goes… and I have this habit of whenever I don't want to listen to the teacher, or I don't want to do seatwork… I write whenever the teacher's not looking… whenever I have a spare time whether it's waiting for the bus stop… waiting for the bell to ring.. I kinda think about what's going to happen so by the evening I have a picture of how I'm gonna write it… 

Simmic: I forgot to tell you that you have uncovered one of the 2 reasons Ayako and Miyagi will be present for all the chapters to come… or at least most of them… and that is yes… as I started on writing this fic… I wanted to make a parallel between Mitsui and Karin, and Ayako and Miyagi… kind of different in where each stand… but they also have pretences… and of course… the 2nd reason… will be revealed in the later chapter… hehehe… just have to wait for the in between chapters to come up… hehe oh and about the "you" with Ayako… when I originally wrote that the reason had been ok, but now that I finished writing a few chapters, I found it that when there were parts with Ayako, I could no longer put "you" because it has been solidified as an identity of Mitsui, and so as I read it, it became a bit confusing as well… I already edited that chapter though… so now, "you" will solely refer to Mitsui.

* * *

**Do You See Me?**

I unfolded the newspaper, flipped the pages through the comic, sports, and opinion section then laid it on the floor.

This weekend had been a trip to Akagi-sempai's house; well I just tagged along with you. It was meant to be a discussion of tactics and game plans, but we ran out of food, Sakuragi consumed almost everything except the furniture and the rest of the inedible stuff, which was more than he usually would because he knew that Haruko prepared the meal, while you were fighting for your rights alongside Miyagi. Akagi-sempai was kind enough to buy some extra food himself, leaving Haruko to look after the house, or rather, us.

A debate soon developed a few minutes after Akagi-sempai closed the door. The topic was: who should eat the last cookie? It started out as a fairly peaceful negotiation, until Sakuragi came and gobbled the last remaining life specie of cookie in the Akagi household without leaving any trace of leftover crumbs. Obviously, the peace talks didn't work, and war broke out.

It was a good thing that Ayako brought her fan, whose pain level rivalled that of Akagi's punch and smacked the heads of the three people rolling on the floor. Haruko blanched as Sakuragi almost knocked off a vase that was a wedding gift to her parents. Kogure tried to loosen up the tension by coming up with this.

Challenge: Build a freestanding tower using only 5 sheets of newspaper and a meter of tape.

The team consisted of Haruko, me, and Sakuragi, plainly because one word from Haruko and Sakuragi will do it, so much so that I think if Haruko told him to jump out from a building he'll do it, although I wouldn't really think Haruko would tell him that. You, Miyagi and Ayako were on the other team, Miyagi having the same reason as Sakuragi, and you would probably be more subservient to Ayako with that dangerously strong fan of hers. And Rukawa? He fell asleep on the couch a long time ago.

Conditions: Must be tall, and must withstand lungpower.

I stared back at the newspaper. Now… structure. I looked over at the opponent's side to find you arguing with Miyagi over the design, Ayako pretending to ignore the battle, though her eyes flickered sideways, and her ears still listened. The tower had a wide cylindrical base, and she began to roll another sheet into a much more thinner cylinder to add height. A red shirt blocked my view, and I looked up to see Miyagi protecting Ayako and her creation with all his might. I forced a smile, and turned back to face our team.

A pyramid. I gave it a blow and it moved backwards – too light. An idea struck me like lightning and I began to tear holes in it, while Haruko was busy restraining Sakuragi from strangling my neck. I placed the pyramid down and blew into it. It didn't move as much. Sakuragi and Haruko realized that most of the air passed through the holes. They chorused an "Oh", which made you and Ayako look, Miyagi still guarding the building. We quickly huddled around it protectively, gave a sly smile to your group and paid no further attention after that. Haruko built another pyramid to make the structure taller, then Sakuragi crumpled the rest of the newspapers and inserted them at the inside of the pyramid with some tape for weight.

Kogure whistled to signal the end of our time limit. I glanced for the last time at our building. It was tall, and it could withstand lungpower. In short, it was pretty good.

Looking at the other side, Miyagi was grinning constantly as he revealed their building. It was taller than ours, which was not good, we were only allowed three blows for the lungpower test, but thankfully with Sakuragi's help, on the third blow, the tower curved downwards, and then fell.

Our pyramid on the other hand wasn't as tall as their group's building, but luckily, on their last blow, the pyramid shook a little at the top, then went back on it's place.

Haruko, Ayako, and me settled for the tie, but it seems not all group members think otherwise. A little criticism thrown here, a little comment there, and soon Sakuragi started to rip the topmost part of Ayako's building. Miyagi was enraged, and while the two were busy, you took the chance to step on our tower, and laughed maniacally after that.

In an instant, all three of them: you, Miyagi, Sakuragi, were laying on the floor, each housing a big, red, swelling lump on their forehead. Akagi-sempai was back. At this point in time, Akagi's punch gained a slight lead from Ayako's fan. Though I would never want to be in the receiving end of the two formidable pain inducers. Kogure didn't receive that much of a punishment for trying his best to maintain peace and order. Ayako and I were lightly rapped on our head, while Haruko received a disappointing speech from her brother. And Rukawa? He woke up, plopped right back down the sofa, drool starting to pool.

I looked back at the flattened pyramid; saw something crushed without the slightest bit of hesitance or remorse. Something that we had worked on, something that we all put our minds for, ground to the floor. It is true that this was nothing serious, but still, would there be a time when that too is crushed to the ground? Unintentionally? Would you? In one way, you already did.

* * *

Again, for the I don't know time, I would like to thank you for reading my fic… hope you liked it… there will be a turning point soon! And with the size of chapters I'm writing, I'm thinking, much sooner. Anyways, hope you review! Must resist the temptation to reveal the turning point… hehehe… 


	10. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I do not own Slamdunk. I know that. This is just for formalities.. hehe.. Libre naman ang mangarap diba?

* * *

Calliope Medina Erato: we actually do write in the same order… hehe… and well but I guess it's easier for me since I don't work like you do… continue your work by the way! I'm waiting… hehehe… and for the record, I haven't really tried if the tearing of holes would really work or not… in my imagination it did… hehehe… 

Simmic: hehehe… I know… um… yes… the level of maturity.. hehehe.. sometimes I just think you can get carried with competition, and with these guys, even this winning is important… so yeah at a game like this you're friends, but you're opponents at the same time… I tried too… because I think that simulating life, there are some high moments, low moments, comedic moments, stagnant moments, and it seems the story moves in that way. One day it starts to build up, then it kinda becomes a plateau, may go down, then up again… and well… I did that to offer a bit of comedic relief… relief, because I just made the biggest decision for this story… so I needed time to really think it out… hehehe… I was doing a battle with my brain just this weekend…

Coffeemaverick: yeah… you are making sense… I didn't really think it was that original… sometimes if I see, hear, or like if I listen to any song, then start to make like my own version for a music video in my head, which becomes a story. This fic started similar to that…

* * *

A/N: another commercial break… stay tuned for the serious series… coming up next…

* * *

**Do You See Me?**

**

* * *

**

**_Flashback_  
**

"Karin! Wake up! It's already 9 am! Wake up!" Wake up. You threw stones in my window, while I tried to hide my head underneath the pillow. The door burst open. "Karin! That friend of yours is looking for you! I swear he'll wake up the neighbours if you don't go down… now go!" Aunt took the warm blanket off of me and pushed back the curtains, sunlight drenching my room. I cringed like a vampire at the light, though I didn't burn, rolled back on the bed, rolled too much that I fell off of it and hit my head on the hardwood floor. "Ow!" I stood up, my aunt making sure I made up the bed before she closed the door again.

"HISA-" a stone flew past by me. "Hisashi! Do you really want me dead!" You let the stones fall back to the ground, dusting your hands. "Was that a rhetorical question?" I took the stone from the floor and threw it back at you, it flew to the next-door neighbors house, their cat screeched in the background. You laughed, slipped on the pebbles and landed on your butt. Revenge was sweet.

"Come on Karin! It's the weekend. What are you sleeping for?" Isn't that the reason for weekends? I yawned as I rubbed my eyes. "I'll be there in a minute." I took my time in getting out of the room, in taking a shower, and in eating my breakfast. By the time I met you, you were already exhausted from waiting, sitting beside the gate, counting the dust on the ground.

"What took you centuries to come out Karin! I swear I sat there for a year." You stood up and massaged your back then stretched your arms. "Let's go to the park. Here, you can use my bike since I don't think you're used to jogging." You pushed the bike to me, waiting for me to mount. "I don't know how to ride one."

You slapped your forehead. "You don't know how to ride one?" Do you need me to say it again? I nodded my head. "Here. Sit here. I'll teach you how to ride." I shook my head. "Oh come on, don't chicken out. It's not like I'm going to drop you or something. Unless of course I feel like it." You just had to add that. I started to walk back inside the house. "Wait! I'm not gonna drop you then! Karin!" I stopped, turned, and walked back to you.

"Ok. All you have to do, is sit right there, put your feet in the pedals, and I'll hold the back of the seat and push you k?" I nodded and did as you instructed. At first, the bike wobbled, and I complained of wanted to get off, but you didn't let me. "Keep pedaling! Keep going! I'm right behind you!" And I did, but your voice became distant and then I heard you shout victoriously. "Go!"

I kept pedalling, and then turned my head to look at you. I was going farther away from you, or you getting farther from me, waving your hands in the air, a big toothy smile on your face that it sunk into me that I was riding this bike on my own. I started to panic; my palms became sweaty, for I have not yet tried to stop. I pressed on the break softly and I slowed down until it was too slow and it finally stopped, the bike leaned sideways and dismounted it.

You came running to me, enveloping me into a hug, jumping up and down as if you were crazy. "See? It's easy right?" I jumped up and down with you, gave each other a high five that resonated in a slap, followed by the stinging sensation in our hands. "You can ride on your own now." I kept smiling back then.

* * *

stay tuned for the serious series… coming up next… 


	11. Chapter 10

Calliope Medina Erato: thank you for not seeing this as a Mary Sue, though I'm pretty sure it's not a Mary Sue, because if it was, she'd be a millionaire, model, most beautiful, intelligent, rich, and talented person in the world, which she's obviously not… but I'm most thankful that you didn't think it was a self-insert either… at first I wasn't really sure if I should use a first person thing because sometimes people just assume it's a self-insert, when it's really not… so I'm really glad about that… hahaha… my family disapproves of working, because they want me to concentrate on my studies…

Coffeemaverick: thank you for liking the chapter! Thank you, thank you, and thank you hehehehe…

Simmic: hmm… yes special meaning… about that… oops… another one I can't elaborate on… why does everything have to be so connected? Hehehehe… ok… all I will say for now is… the symbolism is there because well I wrote it that way in order to provide hints… Karin doesn't know that, BUT if Karin was asked it's because those things had symbolism for she had the chance to contemplate. well about putting in a chapter showing Mitsui's point of view, I would have to start again from the first chapter… because Mitsui deals with different issues than her, if I was to write it of course. it has to be a different style, a little bit alteration in the tone, language, lots of stuff to prepare... basically because i'm not a guy… but if I wrote that chapter on the middle of the story, about now, then the story would end… because then Mitsui will just reveal it all! Hehehehe… he has to keep his mouth closed… I need the tension to build… or there will be no climax, or close to that… hehehe… though I will keep your questions in mind, and so when I will finally start to make things kinda a bit black and white, I'll post a message for you so that I could go back to your questions and answer them… its very good that you have your opinions on their mentality…

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not own Slamdunk. I know that. This is just for formalities.. hehe.. Libre naman ang mangarap diba?

* * *

**Do You See Me?**

I turned around the corridor, found you lying on the hard, rough, dry soil, a foot on your forehead, grinding it dirt. I could not bear to see it. I clenched and unclenched my hands repeatedly. I could no longer tolerate this. My reigns snapped. "HEY!" Five faces diverted their attention from you and placed it on me. I let out the breath I did not know I was holding. I looked at you, then at them, who smirked. "Um… um…"

"Missy here is going to report to the principal. Let's go." The guy who stepped on you grinded his shoe into your skull, and as he was retreating, you quickly stood up, grabbed him by the shoulders, rudely turned him to face you, took a hold of his collar, preparing to strike him with your fist.

I let out a gasp. You looked at me, and you were angry, not at me, but at the guy that stood before you. I shook my head over and over again. Don't do it Hisashi. Don't. I could feel your hand strain against your will, you looked at me again, and I shook my head. Don't. You dropped your hand to your side, was about to release his collar when he aimed for your jaw.

You caught him before his fist got too close, and began to crush it with all your might. "Hisashi…" I was scared. Scared that you were becoming what you once were. You pushed him away and he fell to the ground, picked himself up, and made a run for it.

I didn't move from my spot. You were still angry. You hung your head low, your hand still clenched, your breathing uneven. You had to cool off. You pushed your bangs off your face, and gave a small smile. I started to approach you as if I was approaching you for the first time. But soon I regained confidence, and so I walked with a bit more trust with each stride.

I saw your wounds, but you made it seem you did not have so. I offered to go with you to the clinic, but you refused me, reassured me that you were in fact, fine. "I'm invincible remember?" Yes, I remember. I remember you caught flu right after that. You would not have it any other way, so I left you in search of a first aid kit. When I came back, everything still remained, except you being there.


	12. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: I do not own Slamdunk. I know that. This is just for formalities.. hehe.. Libre naman ang mangarap diba?

* * *

Calliope Medina Erato: I know… hehehehe… it's one of those times where you really plan something and then it ended up failing… hehehe… well, she is a bit clueless because Mitsui doesn't exactly parade the girl around the whole school, or around her you know… and, with your feeling, stick with it, I think you already know who it is, based on how you said it…hehehe… oh… and with the work thing, it's good that you could still get time to update your fics…

Simmic: perhaps… perhaps not…. Hehehehe… but yes… all in due time… hehehe…

* * *

**Do You See Me?**

**_Flashback_  
**

You were leaning on the door outside the music room, your hands clasped together, your fingers fiddling with each other, your mouth uttering words of silence, and as I approached you, you were still in a trance.

"Waiting for someone?" That had been the magic word. It broke the spell that encased you. But it had a side effect. You blushed, rubbed your hands together as if it was cold. Tried to conjure up an answer with that magic wand of yours. "Be quiet will you." Not quite a comeback. You tried to prevent the coup de tat your body propagated, putting a hand on your pocket, tapping your feet with no beat or rhythm.

"So, you are waiting for somebody." You placed a finger to your mouth, suggesting that I should discontinue the invasion I was doing to you. I reflected the signal back.

Music escaped from the door, seeped out like a fragrance that had been locked out, then it flowed uninterrupted, the door unsuccessful in imprisoning its captive. The notes rose behind, its vibrations penetrating the skin, making it tingle. It was the violin. The invisible lyrics appeared before my eyes, accompanied by the untainted emotion that felt it all. And the voice that spoke of it all, of its song. It was a place that only existed in music, when the musician starts to create, when the instrument gives life, when the music, becomes life itself. Time had stopped.

So that's why you've been staying after school. Basketball practice. That was what you told me.

The air became the music, while the birds sang. The trees danced while every blade of grass swayed to its unending symphony. As the last notes faded, everything settled down, and all was still. Until all that was left, was the echo of music in my ears.

"MITSUI HISASHI IS HERE!" I yelled out, as loud as my lungs could, then made a mad dash for an exit. You almost caught me by the next as I almost missed the corner when the door opened and you stood frozen as I hid safely behind a tree.

You scratched the back of your head, spoke a few words, bowed, and excused yourself. As soon as the door clicked shut, you ran to where I was hiding, chased me all the way until you had no choice but to stop. I arrived home.


	13. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: I do not own Slamdunk. I know that. This is just for formalities… hehe.. Libre naman ang mangarap diba?

* * *

Simmic: thanks for reviewing! hmm… indeed… 

Coffeemaverick: Thanks for reviewing! It seems that he is…

* * *

**Do You See Me?**

"Hisashi?" You raced down the corner, running for your life. "Why are you running?" You pressed on your shoes to break, a bit of dust swirled a few centimetres in the air, and ran back to me. "Celebration, chain, scared, crazy fan, no escape." I translated that as: As part of the Valentine's Week Celebration, the booths set up around campus included a chain booth, and the target recently has been you and you're scared that their gonna chain you for half an hour to a crazed fan of yours whom you might not be able to defend yourself from because of the chain that disables you from escaping." Understood. Hisashi? Why are you standing behind me?

"Hide me." If I was built like Akagi maybe I could, but the reality is, I'm not. Then voices were heard asking about you, and footsteps were getting closer. You waved good-bye to me, pointed to me, then covered your face with your hands, and then you were out of sight. Understood. Cover up.

"Did you see any Mitsui Hisashi come by here?" I scrunched up my eyebrows, rubbed my chin, and pretended to think. "Mitsui huh?" Stall for time, even if the reason's stupid. "Mitsui Hisashi, lead 3-pointer of the Shohoku team, don't play games with us." How impatient! "Oh yeah, yeah, I did see a- a Mitsui… Hisashi guy, yeah, uh huh, yeah, I did." I nodded my head a few times. "So where'd he go?" I ran a hand through my hair. "Well," They started to close in on me. I pointed to my right. "He went that way." You gave a small bow of thanks, backed away and started running that direction. "To the library!" I added. It was the last place on this school you would go to.

I purchased some vanilla ice cream and was heading back to the building when they came out of the library with your hand attached to one end of the chain. "Nice cover Karin." I raised my ice cream in the air, complaining. Well? How would I have known you would go to the library? Oops… so maybe I did have something to do with it. A little bit?

"Have you seen Ayako?" Hi Miyagi. "Yeah, I saw her, over at the um, fruit shakes area." You headed to the direction I pointed at, when I saw a few fellow Shohoku students, heading towards me carrying a chain. "Uh oh." I slipped closer to the booth where a lot of people were standing up in line, when they started to walk fast. I decided to run. They looked right and left, spotted me sticking out from the lined up crowd, stalked me like a lion ambushes her prey.

I headed for the back garden of the school, and I saw your back facing mine as you sat on one of those park benches. Hands grabbed my arms, and I was forced to stop rather awkwardly and a chain was attached to my right wrist. Your head was turning to face my direction, when they reversed me so I failed to see you.

They brought me to a third year classroom and waited for a while. A third year student appeared and searched the room for somebody. "Where's Ayako?" The first year students pointed at me. "That's not Ayako you idiots!" The first year's released me at once. "But she started running when we headed her way, so we thought…" The third year student rubbed his temples, and lighted a cigarette. "Sorry for the trouble." I massaged my wrist. "That's ok," was all I said.


	14. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: I do not own Slamdunk. I know that. This is just for formalities… hehe.. Libre naman ang mangarap diba?

* * *

Calliope Medina Erato: Thanks for the review! Yes, being first years kinda not really familiar with everything… plus she ran away… made her seem suspicious.. hehe. 

Simmic: the scene happened after the music scene… the music scene was part of the flashback… when Mitsui was grade 5…

* * *

**Do You See Me?**

**_Flashback_ **

The lights shone as the music began to play, the students began walking in pairs. They entered stepping on a red carpet, accompanied by the stead beat of clapping as a wall of crowd on each side arose, like the red sea parting.

I clapped my hardest as you past by me, and though you didn't spare me a look, your eyes briefly crossed the ground, trying to suppress a smile. Its existence had been short-lived, for in an instant it was gone as you straightened your shoulders, holding your head high.

As soon as this ceremony ended, you were ready to enter junior high, while I would be left behind. It was inevitable.

You went up the stage, accepted your certificate with your right hand, transferred it to your left, and used your right hand to shake the principal's hand. You took center stage, gave a formal bow, and walked back down the stairs, and back to your seat.

I met you in the shade of trees, away from the people exiting the theatre. I was happy though at the same time sad, both overwhelming to an extent that it caused me to uncontrollably blink my eyes, a reflex I always did when I was about to cry. I sniffled, my hand clenched, wiping away the single tear with the back of my hand. Still looking straight ahead, you asked me, "Are you crying?" I turned my head away from yours, letting my hair fall off my shoulder. "No." I bit my lips. "It was the dust." I added.

You were silent. "Why mind the dust now? The dust's everywhere, even when you think it's not there." At first it did not make any sense to me, but after all these years, it perfected yours. I smiled then turned to face you. Thank you. You ruffled my hair like so many times before, times when you could not put into words what you wanted to say. That was your comfort.

A car halted in front of us, it's front seat tinted window sliding down, revealing your mother's face. You ran up to it, exchanged a few words, and as the window slid back up, you ran back to me. The car drove away. "Shall we?" You offered your arm and I accepted it, and we walked through the pavement at a snail's pace, taking in everything, just to make it last.

* * *

Yey! Mitsui's approaching junior high…getting older and older... 


	15. Chapter 14

Disclaimer: I do not own Slamdunk. I know that. This is just for formalities… hehe.. Libre naman ang mangarap diba?

* * *

Calliope Medina Erato: I know… it also seemed familiar… well, the closest I could think of was when they were walking from the theatre too and the I don't know when I released your and when you released mine kinda thing… similar but not too similar…. Yes, and the gangster part… my favorite… joke… yes, there will be some changes…

Coffeemaverick: thank you… hehehe..

* * *

**Do You See Me?**

Clear. I emerged from my hiding place just around the corner, kept as close to the wall as humanly possible as I walked to your locker. When I arrived at the drop off site, I chanted your combination in my head, pointing the arrow to the corresponding numbers. Three clockwise turns then point to 24, one counter clockwise turn then 45, last but certainly not the least, point to 20. I pulled it open.

"Boo." I shrieked, surprised I did not hear footsteps along the almost empty hallway. You clamped a hand to my mouth, people from the adjacent hallways giving a glance before turning away. I dropped the package I had been carrying, its contents scattered around its carrier. I bent down to pick it up, but you were already holding one circle shaped object, opening its wrapper and eating it in its entirety. Happy Valentine's Day. "It's good!" You ate some more and placed the rest back in.

We both stood up, you opened the door of your locker, and your head disappeared inside it, excavating your disregarded books that you hardly touched for more than two times a week. You deposited them in my convertible bookshelf of arms, and then you appeared out of your locker unharmed, taking the books from me and tossing them at random back inside. "I did get you something." You raised your right hand in testimony. Never mind.

I stared at you, stared at the people around, and then back at you. There was something definitely wrong with the picture. I looked at my watch. You were early. Too early than you usually would be.

Your smile also seemed wider, more carefree, and you eyes gleamed as if all you could see was the good in everybody. You spoke with a certain calm tone, a contented one, as if you wanted nothing else from the world. You walked as if you bore no weight at all, as if you had no burden on your shoulders to carry, as if the world was cured of all its illnesses that every problem had been dissolved. It seemed this was a perfect day.

5 minutes till the bell. We walked to my locker, while I took my things. Math was the first subject. Get it over with is what I remind myself. As the first bell rang, you tap me lightly on the shoulders, still eating the chocolates I made for you. I made my way to class, survived sitting through half the session when a delivery came into the room.

"Excuse me sir, I have something for Honda-san, Saito-san, Homura-san, Takeda-san, and Shigekura-san and Takahashi-san." We stood up, approached the deliverer who each gave us a stalk of rose. I received three. We took our seats, and I opened the first one.

"Psyched! Thought I'd forget giving my best friend in the entire world only one stalk? Do you think I'm that poor? Well, Happy Valentine's Day! –Hisashi-." I unfolded the next one. "Hey, Karin, I want to thank you for giving me Ayako's locker combination! Happy Valentine's Day! –Miyagi-." I switched to the last one. "Happy Valentine's Karin! Where's my rose and chocolates! I'm waiting you know… Better be the best! Hehe… –Ayako-" I placed the three of them beside my math notebook, and paid attention for the rest of the class.

At lunch, I placed them inside my locker, and a flock of girls flew past by, heading to the gym. News spreads fast. The basketball team had gathered inside the gym for a brief meeting concerning Shohoku's match with Ryonan. Get ready for the flood.

After class, I evaded Ayako as she was about to ambush me near the girl's locker room. I managed to lose her while I camouflaged myself with the crowd when I spotted you talking to Miyagi. "Later." Miyagi gave a nod and a shake. "Yeah." You raised your hand. You shouldered a sack of chocolates it looked as if you had supply for a year.

"Hey, you want to help me eat these stuff?" Are you serious? I waved my hands, pushing the sack towards you. "It was given to you, you eat it." You turned counted to three then looked back at me with puppy dog eyes. I backed off, but you kept on following me, with those big, pleading puppy dog eyes. "Ok! Ok! I surrender! Let's make a compromise ok!" You promised to eat from every single package of chocolate that was given to you and must finish at least half of its contents. And I? Will eat as much chocolates as many 3 pointers you could sink in 1 minute." The deal was signed.

I adjusted my stopwatch to one minute. As soon as you started, I stood behind the hoop to catch the ball and throw it back to you. At times I was slow, and you complained a lot. But there was never anything said about that matter. Overruled. When one minute came up, I counted 24 shots. "Not fair. You didn't bounce the ball fast enough. Multiply it by 3 or redo. 243? I began to compute in my hands. 73. I had to eat 73 chocolates. Redo? "I'll multiply it by 3. I'll eat only 73 chocolates." We shook hands. "No more, no less."

We went to your house, watched a few tapes from Ryonan's games, while you became my commentator, explaining the rules and how you would have done different. How you would have blocked, defended, eluded, your opponents. You paused on some parts, pointing out to me that he was faking, or how he expertly tipped the ball out of their opponent's hands. Basketball started to get interesting. If only you were as good as this when studying. Studying core-subjects that is.

I ate the chocolates as I promised. The next morning, I woke up to a fever and a swollen tonsil. I didn't go to school that day. Neither did you.


	16. Chapter 15

Disclaimer: I do not own Slamdunk. I know that. This is just for formalities.. hehe.. Libre naman ang mangarap diba?

* * *

**ANNOUNCEMENT**: I changed the content in chapter 10, the birthday scene, 'cause the birthday was supposed to be in May… yeah… sorry 'bout that…

* * *

Calliope Medina Erato: actually… ayako did find out… that's why she evaded her when ayako was about to ambush her… the word ambush was the keyword… sorry if it wasn't that clear…

Coffeemaverick: lalalalala… I'm not looking… hehehe… thanks for reviewing! Miyagi was really happy about that… and the deal was a bit unfair for mitsui… mitsui would look so cute with puppy dog eyes.. aww.. hehe..

Simmic: thanks for reviewing! I try to write something close to that… hehehe.. 1. silnce… hehe…

* * *

**Do You See Me?**

_**Flashback**_

9:00 pm. I had tucked myself in bed, started to relax my brain and muscles as my soft, puffy, and cottony mattress drew me into a sleep. I was just closing my eyes, my conscious mind slipping into nothingness when the doorbell rang, followed by my aunt's voice nagging at me to get it. I was annoyed at the terrible timing of whoever was at the door when I realized it was you, yet again.

You were bruised, clearly beaten up, and you smelled foul. What have you been doing? You almost caved in on me, but the main door opened and when my aunt saw that I could barely keep myself up, and with you hanging on me I would certainly collapse, she rushed and supported your flopping body inside. She laid you in the couch to sit, when you collapsed on your side, almost rolling off the seat. She held you with both hands, and then laid you down.

"Who is he? He's drunk." Drunk: too much alcohol in them. "What grade is he anyways? He's obviously a minor." I uttered the number seven, and her eyes widened and a look of disbelief crossed her face, which was not meant for you, but for me. "Is this the kind of people you hang out with?" I shook my head violently, explaining to her that you have only been like this, since now. "There must be a problem aunt. He's never like this."

My aunt looked back at you, then rushed off into the kitchen to get some warm water and washcloths, plus a cup of coffee to help you regain normality.

You started to mumble about things I could not understand, as if you were trapped in a dream, a not so good dream. Then, you opened you eyes, and as you saw me, you grabbed me and yanked me closer. "I wiked 'er Kar'in, a wot." I nodded my head, tried to understand and look understanding beneath your bad breath. "She told 'e she wiked 'e too, BUT," You pointed your finger in the air, your hand moving carelessly. "I bee deceib…" You paused, seeming to think about what you were going to say next, or about what you were saying in the first place. "I met 'er boyfren en 'is frens 'tarted to be me… may 'e dring beer sso I bee weak!" I nodded still, nervous about how you were talking, I tried to understand, but you were almost incomprehensible with that thick accent you were speaking with.

You sat up then dropped right back down, I had to take hold of your arm, or else your head might've met the wrath of Mr. floor down below. "I, coulda beet 'im to pulp. PULP I 'AY! PULP!" you waved your arm in revolution. "PULP!" You kept on shouting, until my aunt came from the kitchen, harshly breaking the hold of your hand in my arm, securing me behind her. "You boy, barging into my house like this, you should keep quiet!" PULP! was all you said.

She nursed you, washed away all the dirt and grime, treated the bruises you suffered from the hands of those bullies, then made you drink some real bitter coffee. As she was walking to the kitchen, you looked weird as if you were about to vomit, and so I stepped out of firing range. When my aunt rushed back in and found what you had did, it took all of her strength and will not to abandon you lying in the street. She cleaned up, cleaned you up again, and then when she was sure you were done, she finally went back inside.

You started crying after that. And I stood there surprised. You had never cried before, at least not while I was looking. You cried on my shoulder, you cried yourself to sleep, and I remained strong seeing you through all this, but as you shut your eyes I opened mine, let my tears rinse yours dry. You didn't deserve this – any of this.


	17. Chapter 16

Disclaimer: I do not own Slamdunk. I know that. This is just for formalities.. hehe.. Libre naman ang mangarap diba?

* * *

Blissful sin: I'm glad that you're clear with why I wrote going back and forth kinda chapters… I'm also glad you can relate to what's happening, and I do upload often cuase the chapters are short..

Calliope Medina Erato: the girl is from Takeishi junior high, we don't know her, and she's not in the series… but, she is also not the one from the music room, the musician girl mitsui liked didn't work out before he graduated cause apparently the girl was concentrating herself with her music… (deleted scenes) hehehe…and this is before he became a gangster, I'm writing about 2 more from his junior high years cause he changes a bit, and then of course I'll be covering his gangster years as well…

Simmic: yeah, it seems kinda over for him, he wouldn't actually be liked that if he wasn't drunk, but he was, and I think it brought out more emotions than just rejection or betrayal, he could've have been laughing before that, and then start crying after… and yes, the fic moves back and forth not only in primary school and when she was in 2nd year, but up until the time when Mitsui rejoins Shohoku's basketball team… and I will be covering his gangster years, there will be changes with their relationship of course during that time…

* * *

**Do You See Me?**

Ayako? She was slowly sliding down from the wall, finally sitting on the ground in a rather uncomfortable position, her head tilted upwards, her eyes closed, her breathing shallow.

I kneeled down beside her, called her name. I knew she heard me, but responding to my greetings wasn't of concern as of the moment. "I don't feel so good." I could tell. She was a bit pale, and when I placed a hand on her forehead, she was cold, and had cold sweat as well.

"What happened to you?" Still not opening her eyes she told me that she had been fine up until the first period, but by the second, the pain started t prick her. "Did you eat anything?" She replied by saying she had been too lazy to prepare breakfast and so reheated some leftovers. First suspect – food. "Did you do anything else?" When she shook her head I proclaimed the food guilty of all crimes until it is able to prove itself otherwise.

I extended to her my hand, and as she took it, I felt the coldness from them drain the warmth in mine. Hang in there. I hauled her up, wobbling a few times before I was stabilized. We began to walk, but she was getting weaker, her weight settling on my shoulders. Do not pass out. A few steps after that, she did. She slid off from my grip like jelly and as I tried to keep her from falling, my knees buckled down on me and soon I met the ground in a position that was not meant to be, resulting in a sprain in my ankle.

Great. Ayako's unconscious, and my ankle hurts like hell. Plan B. I took my mobile phone from my pocket and dialled your number. Yours better be in silent mode. It rang and you answered it in a hushed tone, a few coughs echoing in the background. What kind of cover is that? I could hear the teachers voice but he was probably talking with the blackboard. "Make it quick." As you wish. "Ayako's" The connection was cut off. I guess you were caught.

I placed the phone down the concrete floor and dialled Miyagi's number instead. It vibrated. "Where?" I mentioned the drinking fountain near the first years. The connection was cut off again. I could only hope it got through you. For now, I only have to wait.

I was fanning Ayako when you arrived. You waited for me to stand when I remained seated and it was then you noticed a finger pointing at my ankle. "Is it too painful?" Of course it is. But of course, you meant if I could still wait. "Go." It's clear who was in worse condition. That had not bee me. "I'll be right back." You picked up Ayako with ease and sped along the corridor.

Right. He'll be back. Meanwhile, I need a distraction. But you arrived. That was fast – too fast. "I met Miyagi so he took Ayako." You kneeled down while I reached out with my right hand. One glance, and you pulled me right up. "Ow…" You laid my right arm across your shoulder, and another hand went to around my waist. We started to walk. I tried not to blush at the close proximity. Think of the pain! You were proving to be more of a distraction that my current condition.

"You always do more than what you can do. That's why you get hurt." Do I? I do. Yeah. That's why I get hurt. The walk seemed short, and while you kept a straight face the entire time, I was embarrassing.

Ayako was nowhere in sight. Miyagi appeared and revealed that Ayako was sent to the hospital for potential food poisoning. The suspect was guilty after all. The case is solved. The court, adjourned.

The nurse placed some cold compress on my swollen ankle, and soon it numbed the pain. I wished I could put ice in my heard, to numb it, so I wouldn't be hurt. So I wouldn't feel the hurt. So I could avoid the hurt. So I could ignore it. So I could pretend it didn't hurt. So I could run away. So I wouldn't have to care. So I could forget for even just a moment.


	18. Chapter 17

Disclaimer: I do not own Slamdunk. I know that. This is just for formalities.. hehe.. Libre naman ang mangarap diba?

* * *

Blissful sin: yeah.. I know there isn't much that happened, but there's something in there that I will be coming back to in the later chapters… so I need you to know that… hehe.. 

Calliope Medina Erato: hehehe… I got that idea while I was in sports medicine class and we were discussing about R.I.C.E. (rest, ice, compression, elevation) and when the ice was discussed it involved about lessening the pain, inflammation… that sort of stuff… so yeah… that's where it came from… and yes, that was the girl mitsui liked but that was in junior high… there'll be more changes with himself though…

Coffeemaverick: thank you! Hehehe…

Simmic: aha, glad you asked about that part… it's coming soon.. hehehe.. but of course I won't tell you when.. heheh… and as always… it will be subtle…

* * *

**Do You See Me?**

**_Flashback_  
**

It's been a while now – a whole school year to be precise. I wonder what happened to you. When you were still new, you came by to visit everyday after school. After three weeks, you came by every other day. At two months it was reduced to once a week. At three, you hardly came by at all, but still you dropped a line or two to say hello. After five, you stopped everything altogether.

Maybe you were busy… with your studies and basketball maybe? I'll say basketball for sure, how wouldn't it? I knew that with every day added to your attendance, you were slowly rising to the ranks of Takeishi's ace and with that, your popularity. That should be good, shouldn't it?

It's been a few days already – a whole week to be precise. But somehow I could not seem to strike at the right moment and see you. Maybe it's because I'm still getting used to this new school.

But on one afternoon, luck had been a friend to me. I was afraid I'd miss you amongst the crowd, but I didn't. At first sight I could not help but yell Hisashi like how it used to be. "Hisa-" A gaze shot through me like a bullet. I didn't see it coming. Nor did I expect it. I could not speak back then, for it had not been you.

"Mit-sui, sem-pai." It didn't flow out as smoothly as Hisashi. I wasn't used to it. "Good afternoon." You returned the greeting with a bow, and that was it. It was as formal as it could be. As formal as if we've never been friends. As if we've only met. Just now.

You used to be humble of your talents, encouraged others to play. You could be patient if you had to, you didn't criticize other people's weaknesses by asserting your superiority. You had a smile that challenged the sun's intensity, you cheered, laughed with everyone, got along with everyone.

But now, your smile seems to be programmed, refined each day, practiced, so that with a press of a button it would reveal, and with another push, you could turn it off just as easily. You seemed to choose now which ones to talk to and which ones to ignore, which ones to see and be seen with, and which ones to avoid, which ones to accept, and which ones to delete.

It seems that I do not know you now. I see Hisashi in front of me, but not the Hisashi I know, not the Hisashi I used to know.

* * *

Ok… um… I just thought that well.. when I remember Mitsui's face in Slamdunk during his junior high days, I can't help but think… this guy's too popular… that must've had an influence on him… getting mixed up with the wrong kind of friends I guess, and I think that would boost his ego and arrogance in one way… I don't think he'd be like I'm still the same old Hisashi, I think it'll have certain effects on him… so I thought that he might've become arrogant and such… and so when he goes to Shohoku he kinda shows off that he'll take the team into the championships and all, and it'll cause him more frustration when he gets the injury because he wants to go back into his full potential and not be someone who can't do much for the team… sure there's like a noble cause, but reality tells me, not everybody's that noble… so hope you'll bear with me...  



	19. Chapter 18

Disclaimer: I do not own Slamdunk. I know that. This is just for formalities.. hehe.. Libre naman ang mangarap diba?

* * *

Coffeemaverick: well, he is kind of mean, but he will get meaner in his gangster years… but of course I'll provide some relief… mitsui is still the same mitsui even though he became like that right? That's all I'm gonna say.. hehe.. 

Simmic: heheheh… me too… hehehe… you can call it confidence… it's just a more better sounding word than arrogance… hehehe.. yes, that was what I was picturing out… but I still do agree that he also wanted his team to win…

* * *

**Do You See Me?**

It's morning. It's almost class. I fell asleep. While studying. And I have a quiz. Today. I'm going to fail.

I scanned over my notes memorizing a few key words here and there, skipping over unimportant ones, fast-forwarding through other topics. My hands skimmed the surface of its pages, the answers to potential questions barely sinking in.

"Morning." What happened to you this time? No time to be distracted. Where was I again? "Scapula, Humerus, Radius, Ulna…" a poke at my shoulders. "Deltoid." I stopped and lost my count. "Cranium, Hyoid, Clavicle…" a poke at my back. "Lattissimus Dorsi." I ignored that. "Carpals, Metacarpals, Phalanges…" a poke at my arm, "Bicep Brachii, Tricep Brachii…" I shut my notes and turned to face you. "Gluteus Maximus." You whistled. What are you doing? "Just studying." I went back to my notes and searched for the page I had closed before. I stopped in the middle of turning a page. Studying? I looked back at you. You were indeed, studying. This must be a bad sign.

"Mitsui-sempai." Haruko greeted. "For you." She got from her pocket a piece of paper and handed it to him. "What's this?" He asked, raising the letter in the air. "Please read it." Haruko bowed again before leaving the room.

You took a closer look at it, was just about to unfold it, when you noticed that I was no longer sitting at in my seat, but was standing behind you, trying to sneak a peak, that before I could even catch a glimpse of any letter you folded it on its creases and tossed it inside your bag, zipping it close in front of me.

I was supposed to hide my interest by going back to my seat and opening my notes again, when the bell rang and you packed up your things, went on to your own class. No sooner than you disappeared into the hallway did our teacher enter the room, ordering us to close our books, empty our tables, keep everything out of sight, only holding in our hands something to write with.

A wave of nervousness washed over me I could not help but tap my pen, repeatedly, but it became unnervingly quiet, that was when I realized all eyes were on me as I slowly tapped the pen to a stop. Then the test was handed out. Wish me luck.

* * *

the talk of the story… what's inside the letter? Personally, I didn't put anything in there… there is something… but I haven't written it yet… because I won't be putting it… what's more important is the reason behind it… hehehe.. and that I do have… more clues in the next chapter.. hehehe.. the case is going hot again.. heheh.. 


	20. Chapter 19

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Slamdunk. I know that. This is just for formalities.. hehe.. Libre naman ang mangarap diba?

* * *

**Calliope Medina Erato**: yeah, it did. Well that's what I thought too… but looking at the Mitsui when he returned to the team... I believe that he was a really good person; just that, sometimes he strays away… hehehe… the girl with the violin does not attend Shohoku high school… hehehe… and no it was not her… hehe… though sometimes I think that you know more than you let me know you know… hehehe… just like when you said "who's it from?" it made me think you know already…  oh and about your fujima fic, yeah I read some of the reviews and some of the reviewers thought that Fujima was kinda mean or something… but it didn't bother me though… hehehe… don't know why… maybe because I've read a lot of slamdunk fanfictions in the past which portrayed even Sendoh in that arrogant, somewhat cold character… 

**Simmic**: I'm sorry for getting you confused on the timeline, all you have to remember is that everything in the present happens when mitsui was in the third year… and the flashbacks have their own timeline, and right now it's when he was in junior high… ok? Yeah… of course I'm not going to suddenly make him a gangster… it's a transition he goes through… but indifferent… I don't think being part of a gang makes you just indifferent… of course his meanness has a different level when it comes to Karin… Haruko giving a letter… that's a secret… hehe… oh and I also think that you also know a lot about the story, and it's secrets… I just get that feeling based on your reviews… 

* * *

**Do You See Me?**

**_Flashback_  
**

You should've told me. You should have. You didn't tell me anything - of how you injured your knee. Were you afraid that I'd tease you of all the gloating you did about bringing Shohoku to the championships? That you in fact became the MVP and yet at the start of the season you were prohibited from participating because of your injury? Or What? You know me. I'm not as dense or as stupid as to do that. You know that. You do.

I visited you at the hospital only to find your room empty. There was only one place where you would go - the basketball court. And indeed, I found you there. You were in mid-air, releasing the ball for a lay-up shot, though when you landed your eyes winced, your knee gave way, and you almost toppled over. I stood back and gave you space, hoping that you wouldn't pick the ball up. But stubborn as you were, you did.

"Mitsui!" You froze like a statue, the ball bouncing away. You were caught. "Didn't the doctor tell you to wait?" You ran a hand through your hair. A sigh was all you gave me. You started to limp towards me. "Mitsui, stop right there. You're only applying more pressure to your injured knee!" I rushed forward and placed your arm across my shoulder, synchronizing our steps. "Can you really support me?" You leaned a little and I began to lose what little I had for a balance. You took off the weight. "I know I'm not that strong, but let me at least help you. Or am I just being a burden?" You didn't answer that. You didn't say anything until we reached your room, until I closed the door leading to it, until I returned the phone back to its receiver.

"I know this must be hard for you, but-" Your laugh was overflowing with sarcasm. "You don't understand do you, Karin. Have you ever lost something that's so important to you, you don't give a damn what it takes to get it back?" I could not bear to look at you – in your face – in your eyes. "No."

Then a sudden realization struck me, it gave me strength to look where I could not once bear to look at - straight where I would be lost – in your eyes. "Yeah, I did." It seemed to say 'I didn't know that'. "I did." I repeated. "I lost a friend not so long ago. So, yeah, I do know how it feels."

It was your turn to sink further into your bed, lay your head on your pillow, cover yourself with blankets, lie sideways so that you would face the window, and not my face, so that you could hide, so that you could pretend I was not close by.

I could feel my heart pumping, could feel my chest constricting, my lungs heaving at trying to suppress this feeling. I let it loose. "You're a great basketball player Mitsui. I always thought you were. Many others did. You know that. You knew you were great. You don't have to be so impatient as to prove that." No response. "I may not understand anything of how strongly you feel for basketball, or how it almost drives you to insanity to be separated from it, maybe because I'm not a basketball player, maybe because I do not have the passion for it, maybe because, maybe because… I just don't understand."

I didn't know what to say next. I walked towards the door I once closed, turned it and with a click it opened. I stepped outside from where I once stepped in, faced the door I once faced my back with, pulled the knob I once pushed away, towards me, hoping you would turn to face me. Pride kept you from doing it.

A step. Another. A third. The fourth. The fifth. Maybe you weren't coming. Pride kept me from going back.

"Karin." It was you. I need not face you. I could tell. It was you. "I'm sorry." I said it, though I did not hear it. Instead I heard your voice, echoing what I said back at me. "Would you like to understand?"

I found myself retracing my steps. Standing in front of the door I once left, opening the door I once closed, entering the room I once exited, sat on a chair beside your bed, and listened.

* * *

Hmm… personally liked this chapter too… hehehe… well… mitsui's not too mean, a bit distant, and well Karin calling him Mitsui… it's like she's not too comfortable of calling him Hisashi again… probably out of all my ending words… I probably I like this one the most… unless I make something which I think is better… what do you think? 


	21. Chapter 20

Disclaimer: I do not own Slamdunk. I know that. This is just for formalities.. hehe.. Libre naman ang mangarap diba?

* * *

Calliope Medina Erato: hehe… I agree it was quite dramatic… but we need mitsui alive.. hehe.. it would have been worse I think if I stuck with the original one… which was well only up until but pride kept him from doing it… but I recently added the others in and I'm glad I did.. hehe.. and well for your question… isn't that what we're trying to find out? Hehe… and hmm… I could picture Fujima that way… especially when I recall his face when he was watching Ryonan play against this other team… or when they were heading to Shohoku…

Coffeemaverick: thank you for the compliments! Hehe.. you do too in your fanfic that's why we're all rooting for Mitsui to do something.. hehe… sendoh is too sweet, I wouldn't like to see him hurt… but waa… which one to side with! Being neutral is the worse… hehehe… and to tell you, when I originally write the episodes, I oftentimes put Mitsui or he instead of "you" and Karin instead of "I" hehe.. that's why I read it again.. incase.. hehehe..

* * *

**Do You See Me?**

I made my way into the traffic, steering left and right, pressing on the brakes, adjusting my speed before stepping on the accelerator.

"Hi." You turned back, the crowd kept you walking, causing you to bump rather roughly to Miyagi who wasn't looking. You backed off, a little, and so did he, leaving an empty space in between. Though you did not walk away. Neither did he. The crowd rushed everywhere except that little space, both of you stiff. They didn't seem to mind. You? Likewise.

Two smacks. Ayako's fan came to the rescue. You moved to your right, Miyagi moved to his left, and paralleled ways.

I was about to meet you when Haruko emerged from the canopy of the crowd. You turned your face sideward, looking beyond the unending flight of faces, to something that remained a mystery. You faced her, though when you spoke, it was to the ground. "I – " Your gaze left the ground, a hand clamped on her mouth preventing her from saying anything further.

As soon as you released her, she bowed, regretting her previous action, rejoining her friends in the stream of high school students.

A sudden weight on my backpack; "Let's go look for Ayako." We searched the whole school, ending it with the library, and upon entering, she sat in the far corner of the room, rested her head upon a large book.

She lifted her head from her hard pillow, and turned towards our direction. I raised a hand to wave, but Miyagi grabbed the same hand, ducking down behind a table. "Don't. She's still angry at me." We crawled towards the computer, pretended to check the catalogue, and from there you gazed, from there you looked, not from where she was, but from far away. "I wanted to apologize to her, but it seems, now's not the right time."

"We should go now." We lowered ourselves, walked like a penguin until we reached the corner, where her eyes could not reach. "Miyagi." You remained standing, still, then you awoke, and walked towards me. "Aren't you going to help her?" You looked once again. "She doesn't need it."

* * *

I can't wait… I can't wait… must update fast… hehehe.. Although it is not a funny thing… miyagi didn't mean she doesn't need it in a bad way… she really didn't need it because . oh yeah… mitsui will be a gangster in the next chapter… 


	22. Chapter 21

Disclaimer: I do not own Slamdunk. I know that. This is just for formalities.. hehe.. Libre naman ang mangarap diba?

* * *

Calliope Medina Erato: hehehe.. I know… but on the bright side, this one's a bit longer.. hehehe.. I have a lot of explaining to do.. heheh… what with haruko and mitsui? What's with mitsui and and well the number of blanks don't really correspond, I just happen to put that many.. hehehe.. thank you for finding it unique… I always thought it's hard to be unique since like there's tons of fics in here I'm bound to write something not so unique.. hehe… 

Coffeemaverick: and while you were wondering when I was going to update, I drove myself crazy over wondering when mitsui will get the chance to apologize.. lol.. hehehe… I know! Mitsui as a gangster… hehehe.. here it is!

* * *

**Do You See Me?**

**_Flashback_  
**

I found it empty. The few sheets of paper in my hand occupied it. I attached a note on the side of its door. I closed it, putting back its lock.

Recently, my aunt was laid off from her job. The company was barely keeping itself up, and so, they removed those workers who had stayed with them for the past 10 years, and replaced them with the new, fresh applicants right off from college. I figured they wouldn't have to pay much for their services.

That was when I started to work for a fast food chain quite some distance away from home. It grew tiring, taking off hours from my sleep, drew out most of my energy, subtracted a considerable amount of "free" from my time.

That was when you stopped talking to me. You tried to at school, but I had a lot of catching up to do. You tried to after school, but I had work to do. You tried to after work, but I was too exhausted to do anything but, sleep. So then, you stopped finding time to talk to me, because I couldn't afford to stop it.

"Karin, here's the notes from our biology class." I accepted the paper. "Thank you Kogure-sempai, I'm sorry for bothering you." Kogure-sempai adjusted his glasses. "Don't worry, it's such a shame to have lost a valuable player. I do hope he will return to the team. His skills are very much appreciated." I held the notes tightly in my hand. "I hope so too."

I tried to do this everyday, for your sake, but the piles only grew taller, the notes got heavier, the reminders, thicker. So then, I stopped finding time to do it, since you never stopped by to even look at it

I saw you leaning at the corner on my way to work, smoking, drinking with your so-called friends. Friends are supposed to raise you up, not bring about your downfall. I tried to walk past by you, but in doing so, I just contradicted what I said a few seconds ago.

"Mitsui." You threw your cigarette to the ground and grinded it with your heel. You approached me, languidly. "Who is she Mitsui? You never mentioned her to us." Our eyes met, searched each other for an answer. You wrapped an arm against me, resting your chin on my shoulder. "And who are you that I should tell you?" His comrades began to push the questioner away, the others backing off, slowly merging with the shadows. "Tetsuo." One of the last ones to turn looked back. "They better keep their distance." With a nod, he followed the others.

"Go." You let go of me, distancing yourself, waiting for me to take my leave. "You should stop hanging out with them. It's ruining your life." You took another cigarette and lighted it. "And you're doing this because… I'm your friend right?" You blew out what remained of the toxic chemicals you just inhaled. "Because friends have to look out for each other. In other words, it's a responsibility, or else you won't be a "good" friend." You inhaled some more of that toxic substance.

"No. I'm doing this because I care – as a person who cares." You handed me three, unhurried, deliberate claps. "Good answer." That's it. My patience just ran out. And I'm not refilling it. And even if I wanted to, I couldn't. I ran out of stock. "You claim you don't care, then how come today you protected me. And just in case you'd deny that too, I'm using the word loosely."

I heard the bus pass by behind me. I watched it stop. It stayed, waiting for me to get on - wanting me to. I ran to catch it. I hope you heard me.

* * *

Um… I don't really think Mitsui fits into the whole gang thing… especially taking a look at his attitude after the incident in the basketball gym. He's dedicated so much into basketball, didn't obey Anzai-sensei, so I kinda came up with this… he's kinda a gangster, but he's not really or completely lost… still revivable in his actions… that's all.. hehe.. 


	23. Chapter 22

Disclaimer: I do not own Slamdunk. I know that. This is just for formalities.. hehe.. Libre naman ang mangarap diba?

* * *

Calliope Medina Erato: me too… it always puzzled me whenever I think of why he became a gangster… of all things… but when I wrote this I just thought he wanted to become a rebel or at least somebody that appears to hate basketball or is against it… so I think that's where being a gangster goes into place… because it's one of the most radical changes he could undertake… would it be possible to be repaired? Well based on the "present-type" chapters, that would be a definite yes… how? That is another chapter… hehe..

Coffeemaverick: it is a different gangster side… just what I thought "most" (since saying all would be stereotyping) gangsters would do.. like smoking.. smoking is pretty common even if you're not a gangster… and well drinking is pretty common too.. even I kinda think that I couldn't clearly imagine him as a gangster if I saw him as the basketball player first… oh… and about the mitsui and haruko thing… how should I know? Hehe.. well ask somebody else… knows hehehe… and there's nothing hidden with the it's just some random pick… oh also knows… hehehe… but of course I don't leave things unexplained… will explain it in fact so that Karin will know… hehehe..

Simmic: welcome back! Hehehe… yes… something did happen.. kinda figured if they were that close for a long time and he was kinda comfortable with her around, why not ask her right? Or why didn't Karin do anything to stop him? So yeah… came up with that one… oh really? I didn't know that… I probably forgot.. it's been like 5 years since I last saw slamdunk… must find some synopsis in the internet.. hehe.. but anyways.. I kinda thought that well, he's a gangster and you're either in or your out, and that well he's friends smoke, tetsuo for one… so I kinda thought friends can have an influence, depends how much… so I kinda thought that if mitsui wanted everyone to be convinced that he really dislikes basketball, he'd do something to prove it.. and so that's what I thought… I even thought of putting drugs, but I thought that would be crossing the line a bit… besides he didn't go to rehab so that would be out of the scale I guess…

* * *

A/N: well I'm sorry if there's still are a lot of questions I haven't answered, but towards the end everything will become clear, and I'll try my best not to leave loose ends, I always like to think of it as a braid, you're kinda twisting and inserting and what not, and at the end you get to see the result… I think I've planned it so that it will clear things up… please bear with me though… thank you…

* * *

ANNOUNCEMENT: for those who have already read the birthday of mitsui, well you can skip it if you like… there's another chapter waiting for you.. hehe..

* * *

**Do You See Me?**

"Do you know what day today is?" You tried to act calm and collected, but your eyes twinkled in excitement. For your gift I suppose. Of course I know what day today is. It's your birthday. "Yeah. Of course." Your grin widened. Can't wait for your present huh? "It's May 22, if I'm not mistaken." You kept on nodding. "Yes, I know that, anything else?" I have something planned you know. It's just a secret I kept from you. I pretended to think, look out the window where Miyagi was chasing Ayako, and then back at you. "No. Nothing. Did I miss something?" There was a frown in your eyes, and I turned away, fearing that if I didn't I'd spill the surprise that I had prepared for this day. "Is that so? Well, I was just joking actually." You tried to laugh, but it was pathetic, so you just sat beside me.

"Mitsui Hisashi! Why are you here? Go back to your classroom. Go on." You picked up your things and left without saying a word. Conscience, go away! I have a surprise ok? Try not to worry. But I can't.

I managed to keep quiet for the rest of the day, and even quieter still as we walked home. You asked if I could come watch you play basketball in the nearby park, but again I declined, saying I had too much homework for the day. You calmly said, "Oh, that's ok," then walked dejectedly, with both hands in your pocket, kicking a stray pebble as you went on your way. It took all of my will power not to crack, but as I cringed and restrained my hands, you were long gone, and I reminded myself, almost. It's almost done.

It started to rain. I dialled your number, and waited as your phone rung. I was about to put the receiver back on when you picked up. "Hello?" Here goes. "Um, Hisashi? Can you come over?" You asked why. "Well, I, um…" The sound of raindrops gathered in strength. Were you caught in its trap? "Hey Karin? Can we talk later? I need to do something first." What? "But-" I tried to protest, but your voice held me back. "She's trapped in the rain and I need to get her out of there." Who? "I need to find an umbrella. Look, I'll call you later ok?" When? Your tone held a voice of urgency, and so I backed away. "Ok." Bye. The dial tone replied.

I stared at the phone for a moment, trying not to worry, worry that first you won't know of the gift I set-up for you, and second that you were slipping away from me, and I didn't know what, when, where, who, and how. You didn't tell me. I stared at the dining table me and my aunt arranged, at the food I helped prepare and cook, at the gift I saved my allowance for, at the greeting I wanted to welcome you with as you walked through the door.

You're lost. Will I find you? Will you find me? How? Will we both find each other? Where? And so I waited. I sat on the couch, watched as the rain slowed down.

I heard my name being called. I sat up straight. I had slept. It had been a dream.

At last I thought I heard the phone ring as fatigue conquered my body, but alas, that too had been a dream.


	24. Chapter 23

Disclaimer: I do not own Slamdunk. I know that. This is just for formalities.. hehe.. Libre naman ang mangarap diba?

* * *

A/N: the other chapter I talked about… hehe…

* * *

**Do You See Me?**

**_Flashback_ **

Why isn't my alarm clock ringing? I looked at the time, 6:35 am. It was off. I wanted to choke my alarm clock to death, to throw it against the wall, though in the end, I sighed instead.

Huh? Why is there a line here? I lined up at the very back, then stepped out of it, stood on my toes, trying to catch a glimpse of what was to meet me ahead. Somebody replaced me on the line. "Excuse me-" A rather largely built guy stood behind me. "Get in line on the back." I complied with his wishes.

When I finally got to the front, there was a guy holding bills and counting it, while another stretched out his hand to me. "500 yen." Though the picture sent my nerves into alarm, I couldn't help but ask, "What for?" The person standing behind me gave me a little push. "Just give them the money if you don't want to get hurt." Ok, now my nerves are in chaos. I stuck my hand inside a pocket in my bag and retrieved the coin. I dropped it in their more than eager palms. "Please pass," They replied while mock performing an English bow.

At the end of class, I dropped by to fetch my coat resting inside my locker when I saw that my money had been returned. I told you, you didn't fit in with them.

I was walking to the bus stop with Ayako when, "hey." She held my arm and pushed me along. "Don't mind them, just keep on walking." I held on tighter to my bag. "Hey. You need to stop when people are talking to you." Keep walking. "Hey!" He grabbed Ayako by the arm, forcing her to face him. "Don't touch me." She tugged at his grasp. "Lend us money will ya?" She tugged again, forcibly this time, releasing his hold on her. "We don't have money. Karin, let's go."

We turned around, talking a step away from them when, "Karin?" We both stopped. "Takahashi Karin?" My heart was racing. How did he know my name? "I'm really sorry for what happened earlier, I didn't know it was you."

Ayako let go of my arm. "You're a leader too?" My eyes widened at the accusation – or assumption. "Me?" I pointed to myself. I shook my head furiously. "No way!" I grabbed her wrist and led her away as fast as I could top myself.

Amidst all the pounding that my heart was doing, I could still here he's comrade's laughter drumming in my ears. "Nice one." There was a stutter of words that followed that, concluding again with laughter. "That right there… you almost cut of your life span. Almost." We had gone far enough, yet his words still rang in my ears. Could it be, because of Mitsui?

* * *

Ok… I'm going to find a synopsis now, need it for the chapter following the next one… 


	25. Chapter 24

Disclaimer: I do not own Slamdunk. I know that. This is just for formalities.. hehe.. Libre naman ang mangarap diba?

* * *

Calliope Medina Erato: hehe… yes… the other chapter had been a repost or rather, repositioned, since well I thought it fit in more now than it did back there… and the other one I put in a different chapter which is also one of those clues… and well I think if you've been friends long enough, it's not that easy to throw years together into the garbage can… so yeah…

Simmic: hehehe… he did return the money, though it was not their gang that did it… cause well the other people recognized takahashi Karin when they were asking mitsui who she was and mitsui warned them through tetsuo to stay away from her… hehe… oh and on the smoking, yeah I think I made a mistake on the facts of slamdunk… but yeah if I read that I would be like a bit huh? Really? That kind of reaction. But I think I wanted it to have that natural or realistic feel… so yeah… can't change it since I wrote it already… and don't want to either… hehe… too lazy and well too hard to go back.. hehe…

* * *

A/N: another chapter that adds to the mystery… well, a little…

* * *

**Do You See Me?**

I sat on one of the benches, watching the basketball team practice. Akagi suddenly called them to assemble and released them for a quick water break. Miyagi approached were his bag lay, not far from where I sat and retrieved from it a towel, wiping his face and neck. Then he sat beside me.

"He's changed." He did not face me when he said this, rather, stared ahead, as if he did not want anybody to notice. "Did you notice?" I turned to face him, but when he did not meet my gaze, I played along with his game, and stared up at the ceiling. "Goes to school much earlier," He stood up, walked to where his bag lay, and seized the water bottle from inside. After taking a sip, "He's bringing his grade up from the grave," He sat beside me again.

I understood. "He studies at least when there's a quiz." And, he's in a good mood most of the time. I silently added. After hearing that, Miyagi glanced to the floor, a small smirk forming at the corners of his mouth, disappearing just as quickly as it came, then he stood up, took his towel and draped it across his neck. "So you did notice."

He walked back to the court, while you arrived after him. "This is so cool. We're facing Kainan. The best team in the whole prefecture." You don't really allow people to talk about you behind your back, do you? "Yeah." I could not think of anything else to say. That was all I could come up with at the present. Yeah.

Akagi whistled that the break was over. You patted me once on the head before running back to court. I didn't bother to comment nor complain about it. I still thought about what Miyagi said to me. So you did notice. What was that supposed to mean?

* * *

Ummm… what was that supposed to mean? Um… don't look at me… hehe.. well um… coming shortly… let me give you an accurate one… how many chapters… um… exactly the second chapter after this… or in other words… the next present chapter… hehe… want to know what the next chapter's about? Hmm… roughly about mitsui trashing shohoku's gym… it turned out I didn't need the synopsis to write it… still writing it… was disturbed when the last bell rang… hehehe… 


	26. Chapter 25

Disclaimer: I do not own Slamdunk. I know that. This is just for formalities.. hehe.. Libre naman ang mangarap diba?

* * *

Simmic: well… um, all this time he had been in fact part of the team… but the story is not concern so much about time, rather than timing, purpose… it was organized this way, because the past chapters reflect on what's going to happen in the present chapters… somewhat… the connection is rather vague… but there… for example, I've started writing chapters where Mitsui becomes a gangster, and also writing some chapters which are somewhat confusing because they do not explain what is happening, like with the haruko scenes, or how about mitsui studying for the quiz… in the previous chapter, it was meant to signal that Mitsui has in fact changed. Not only in the present, but when he became a gangster, he changed during that time too… now that is their connection, change within himself… Karin notices that, Karin notices he's changed now, and in the flashback she also notices that… however for the next chapter, Anzai-sensei will redeem mitsui from the shackles that imprisoned him and of course he changes again, for the better. Now the question for the present chapter following that will be, what is going to happen to Mitsui… is Karin part of the reason why he's changed? How is the change going to affect their friendship? What will she do? What will he do? If Anzai-sensei was able to bring about a change in Mitsui, how will Karin or the other characters be able to bring about a change in him? A change that will shape what will become of this story… hehehe… that's all…

* * *

**Do You See Me?**

**_Flashback_  
**

I saw you head towards the gym. "Mitsui!" You kept walking. "What are you doing here?" I could barely keep up with you. As you passed by, your friends revealed the steel pipes they held in their hands. I ran after you. "Mitsui! Answer me! What are you going to do in the gym?"

I stiffened when I saw you take the steel pipe away from one of your friends and point it at me. "Don't interfere. This is between me and the basketball team." Between you and the basketball team? A fight? I could not let go of this. "Mitsui! Don't throw your anger out on them! They didn't do-" You did not wait for me to finish my words. You acted as if you could not hear, as if I was not standing beside you, as if my existence had been questioned.

I followed you still. You stopped in from of the doors leading to the gym. I refilled my lungs at another attempt to convince you, though you pushed me aside, kick the doors open, and walked inside. The others followed after you. I would, though I could not, for Kogure closed the doors on me. "Mitsui!" There was only one person who was in the range for reaching you. "Anzai-sensei." I have to find Anzai-sensei.

I searched the school grounds. I had no idea where he could be. No clue where he could stay. Or go. It felt like walking in circles. I kept on walking yet it did not bring me any closer to my goal.

I returned to the gym, found a crowd that gathered outside it. A teacher then escorted the man I most wanted to see. Anzai-sensei. He led him through the horde of students, his voice soft but instantly breaking through the door.

A line started to divide the doors, slowly but surely parting it, until it revealed the terrible mess that loitered the floor. Rukawa was lying on the floor, his blood dripping, forming a puddle. Miyagi, covered in bruises of all sorts, the Sakuragi guntai taking care of your lackeys. However, at the sight of Anzai-sensei, tears started to overflow, and you could no longer keep yourself up, so you collapsed on your knees to the ground.

You're safe now. I left, knowing that the worse had come to pass. I left, knowing that you were back where you truly belonged. I left, with the relief that things will go back to how they once were. I left, with the realization that I had not caused the bringing about of this good tiding.


	27. Chapter 26

Disclaimer: I do not own Slamdunk. I know that. This is just for formalities.. hehe.. Libre naman ang mangarap diba?

* * *

Coffeemaverick: hehehe… so that's why you haven't been updating your fics for a while… was wondering about that too… um… now I kinda feel sorry that I made you read stuff that as you go further along only gets more mysterious… hehehe… suspense is good… hehehe.. anyways… um… here's the last one… after this promise! Hehehe… no more of those… well after this… it's all going to be discovery and realization and you'll be like… so that's why.. hehehe.. I wrote this some time ago, but only found the spot to put it now…

Simmic: one of the questions you asked… well it was not a question… rather a statement… and blah.. right… it's in this chapter.. though I will not mention it right here, for it will spoil you the surprise… hehehe… read along… hehe..

* * *

**Do You See Me?**

I closed the door of my room, allowing my bag to slip from my grasp and land with a thud on the floor. I flopped directly to my bed, arms widespread, closing my eyes, thinking of a way to escape.

My phone vibrated in my pocket, and I jolted straight up, my right hand reaching inside my pocket, finding out the caller had been you.

"Hello?" You took a second to reply, then asked me to come to the nearby park. I glanced at my bag filled with books. "Karin? You there?" I counted my homework. But there was something wrong with his voice. "I promise it won't take long." There was something in your voice but I couldn't tell. "Ok. I'll be there." You thanked me, an unusual gesture. It was obvious there was something wrong – wrong with you.

I reached the park, found you sitting in the grass staring as the sun started to drown. I walked up to you quietly, though I think you already noticed my presence, and sat beside you, looking at you once, averting my eyes to the sun about to set.

It was halfway when I thought it was time you had said something. I grew uneasy, and I started to tap my fingers unconsciously. You began to speak. "So…" Inhale. Exhale. "I have this friend," That means you. "And he… he likes someone right?" I faced you now. "But he's her friend." Friend? I didn't want to hope, but half of me was hoping, half of me denying. "We're not really close." Almost all of me was dreading. "Ok. So we're not really close, as in, like us close." All of me was dying. You scratched your head, finally admitting that you were in fact, your "friend". "What should I do?" What should you do? Why ask me? When I have the same problem as you – with you particularly?

"Do I know her?" It was not the answer to your question as your eyes widened in surprise. "Ummm." Nevermind. I plastered a stick-it on your forehead. You ripped it off, quite disappointed of my previous actions for we seldom had serious talks like this.

"miluji tě." You read. "What does that mean?" You waited for an answer – my answer. "It means your stupid." You stood up, grabbed my pen and my stick-it from me and wrote something, then stuck it on my forehead. I took it off, 'miluji tě too.' "It means your stupid too." I know what it means. Sigh. I held a finger at your heart. "Listen. All you need to do is listen."

You ruffled my hair before I got up. "Thanks." I guess you're back to normal. I grabbed my bag and slowly walked out the park. I stopped, stood still. Tell me, am I stupid for saying 'I love you?'

* * *

Waa… at least I remembered to insert this part… I wrote it some time ago and I forgot about it, but I rediscovered it so here it is… and that miluji tě is Czech by the way… listen carefully… hehehe… neh… just want to ask… does this chapter confirm or support your guesses? Or not? hmm.. hehehe… 


	28. Chapter 27

Disclaimer: I do not own Slamdunk. I know that. This is just for formalities.. hehe.. Libre naman ang mangarap diba?

* * *

Calliope Medina Erato: the language she said it in was in Czech.. I was supposed to put mahal kita but… you'd get what it means right away… I know how to speak bisaya but it doesn't really fit or sound good with this chapter… so yeah… I didn't make him hit her since that would be kind of going against what he's been doing… which is protecting her even though done is an ambiguous way. 

Coffeemaverick: whoa… coincidences are good… hehee… no… unfortunately I don't know that song… but you should really listen to that when you read the next chapter.. not this one.. because there's a sentence there that really captures the title of the song… hehehe… I know… I listen to songs to when I type… and when I re-read my stories… hehehe.. the girl mitsui likes is it's in the chapter I told you to listen to that song… finished writing it this morning… hehe… it's almost like when I mention stick-it's you're reminded of moments like the third chapter with the exams starting…

Simmic: well no… she doesn't know Czech… the only word she knows in Czech is to say I love you in it… (keep that in mind) well I couldn't use Japanese or Chinese cause that's too obvious… and I couldn't use tagalog because Calliope Medina Erato would understand it right away… so I kinda picked something out.. hehehe…

* * *

**A/N: **You may find that this chapter is very similar to the prologue but please do continue to read… there's some other things included… the reason for this is that the past has finally caught up with the present and so the present becomes the past…

* * *

**Do You See Me?**

**_Flashback_  
**

"Let's go?" It was today. He opened the palm of his hand, waiting for mine to close the gap with his own. Today was the last. We started to walk down the same path that we first treaded 10 years ago. Today marked the end. For as long as my memory could recall, we've always stepped down this road, day after day, only to find out we would still cross the same steps tomorrow. But today, tomorrow came.

He had always been a friend, I say this with a smile, but I do not know why, somewhere, some part of me, I can feel a hole emerging – engulfing me in emptiness as the days go by. Engulfing me completely. Then, there was nothing.

He calls my name and I look up to see that he is already ahead of me, near yet far enough from my grasp to reach him. And as I stood there, watching, he walked up to me and dragged me back to reality.

That is right. To him I am a friend, will always will be. Perhaps, this is as close as I can get - as close as I can get to his heart. I should not think of this. Being what I am to him should be enough.

I glance up at him, his face a portrait of peace, as the sun that escaped from the prying fingers of leaves lightly strike his face, his whole being being bathed in the setting of the sun. I wanted to memorize every single line of his face, of how the corners of his mouth would curve with every smile, how his eyes would crinkle in delight, how he was perfect in his imperfectness.

I am beside him, yet I cannot embrace him. I realized I have not spoken of anything. I have not conversed. All this time, I was drifting, thinking, wandering, wondering. Asking, yet not wanting.

Then he stopped and let go of my hand. It was all too soon.

My eyes searched his for an answer as to why. Then I too came to realize that in this short passing of time, we now stood in front of the gateway to my house. This was it.

"Well then, I'll see you tomorrow?" I smiled not at the question he himself knows the answer to. "I'll see you tomorrow." I replied. The question lingered in my mind. It began to change in face. And that is the reason for my smile. 'Will you see me tomorrow too?' I realized I too know the answer to that. 'I guess not.' It had been no, a long time ago.

I opened the gates leading to the house, opened the door that lead me indoors, closed the other I had kept open just in case you wanted to go inside.

* * *

Well we've kinda gone back to the prologue… but this one is a bit more detailed… um… and in case you want to know how many chapters are left, there're about 3… in the next chapter… there'll be a great revelation… well not too great in case you've already found out… but of course I won't be too cruel in the end… in the end.. hehe.. 


	29. Chapter 28

Disclaimer: I do not own Slamdunk. I know that. This is just for formalities.. hehe.. Libre naman ang mangarap diba?

* * *

Calliope Medina Erato: um… no comment… joke… hehe… ilokano… hehe… my friend's parent's are ilokano… they always ask me if I could speak it… hehe… yes a bit more detailed… well here's the rest… well here's like the part where you most wanted to know… I think… 'eto, para 'di ka na mabitin… hehe..

Coffeemaverick: hehehe… I updated now… hehehe… you don't sound insane at all… talk about me wanting to upload this for weeks but I couldn't because it was too early? Hehehe… but anyways, here it is…

Simmic: I forgot to tell you, that about the statement… it was when you said that it was kind of sad that Karin couldn't confess her feelings… she kind of did and didn't….

* * *

**Do You See Me?**

Why isn't Miyagi-san entering the gym? He just stood there, outside. "Miyagi." I initiated the approach. "Did you know about this too?" His eyes: fiery. His gaze: condemning. "You're all the same. You're all ganging up on me." Me included? "You're all making me look like the fool." I never did – something escaped from silence. "Mitsui, what about Miyagi?"

I didn't know if you said anything, if you did, if you didn't. I didn't hear your answer. I couldn't. I wouldn't be able to bear it - if my suspicions became truth.

Miyagi threw the doors open, "What about me?" He ran, raised his fist poised to strike. "Mitsui you traitor!" You pushed Ayako aside, and accepted the blow without defence. You didn't bother to shield yourself. He punched you – you didn't fight back. "Miyagi!" He didn't concede to Ayako's plead. "Shut up!"

It was right. The small thing at the back of my head was right. It was right. That small voice that kept on whispering in my ear was right. It was right. That small needle embedded in my heart was right. They were all right. But I forced myself to be blind.

Everything disappeared. I couldn't see anything though they were right in front of me. I couldn't hear anything though there was sound. I couldn't say anything though there were words. I couldn't feel anything though, what's this? It's raining. Soaking my face. Stinging my eyes. Warm against my cheeks. Ah. It was the tears.

I took a step back, rotating my body in the opposite direction, ready to, "What are you going to do Karin? Run away?" Run? "Yes." I forced my feet to move from where they were rooted, forced them to take me away – anywhere but here.

I needed to stop. I couldn't breathe. It is hard to do two things at the same time. It is hard to cry and run at the same time. It is hard to run and cry at the same time. I had to stop. I had to.

"Karin." What are you doing here? I did not wish to see you. I did not wish for you to see me like this. I did not wish for my heart to fall for you, and yet, it did.

"Don't run away from me, Karin." You drew closer, and closer, while I couldn't go farther. You ruffled my hair, like so many times before. "Lituji." What did you say? "I'm sorry." I'm sorry. "It's – it's – in Czech." Czech. I let out a smile.

He knew. He did. How could he not? When I started to put a gap in between us when we sit, walk, and talk. When my hand loses all its warmth when he holds it because I'm nervous. When I would blush if he ever got too close. When I would get tongue-tied in talking to him at times. How could he not?

I stepped away. "Don't-" A raindrop. "Worry," Another. I tried to force a smile, but the controls weren't working, the tears kept falling, I could no longer pretend, so I cried.

I cried. I cried in front of you because I knew I couldn't love you. Because I was there, standing in front of you, yet you never saw me. Here I am, yet you choose another. And there is nothing I could do except, cry. Cry my thoughts out to you, cry my heart out to you - pour out my feelings for you.

I desired for you to leave, at the same time longed for you to stay. You stayed, so I ran away.

* * *

Waa… another one… see mitsui isn't that stupid… he knew… oh… and I listened to Ai no Uta by every little thing while typing this… For every cloud there's a silver lining… so please bear with me…

If you're wondering how mitsui knew that… the power of the internet… he noticed something was wrong with Karin and so looked up the meaning, confirmed his suspicions… blah… a bit discreet, but yeah…


	30. Chapter 29

Disclaimer: I do not own Slamdunk. I know that. This is just for formalities.. hehe.. Libre naman ang mangarap diba?

* * *

Calliope Medina Erato: it is painful… when I thought of it… I'm like I wrote a lot of stuff that kinda sells the story that they are very compatible and will end together, though since the secret's out, there'll be reasons why they didn't end up together… Karin will be the one who actually discovers that reason… the story is actually broken into a lot of parts that I wrote individually because they're just like spurts of ideas… At first, it was supposed to be only Karin that notices and does an explanation that Mitsui knows Ryota likes Ayako and that he should be telling her something… and blah… then, I thought about Miyagi barging in on the two, and Karin discovering and there's a fight that ensues, but Karin kinda stops the two of them, and then I finally thought about the final one… which is like a mixture of those spurts… hehehe.. she learned Czech because she didn't want if she ever confessed, she didn't want it to be too obvious because she's kinda shy about saying that to Mitsui directly, so there's a lot of languages out there that you can just look up at the internet, it's like most people know what sayonara means, it's basically been used everywhere, so it had to be something different… and well, I don't think myself as a good writer, I just think of myself as someone who wants to express her ideas, hehe… bad words huh? Teach me… joke… hehe.. that laugh was reminiscent of Sakuragi… gotta love that guy… though in real life, I'd be annoyed I think… hehe.. what's going to happen now? Well here's what's going to happen now… hehe.. it's in the chapter… it's basically, filling in the holes… hehe.. 

Coffeemaverick: aww… I know…w hen I thought of the story, I'm like I can't possibly leave it at that… so well, um… what should I say… this is only the beginning.. I mean it will not end in with a sad note… hehe.. though I'll have to say Karin and Mitsui as a pair has no hope at all… this chapter is on Mitsui filling in the gaps…

Simmic: you actually knew that Mitsui liked Ayako right? Cause you said it on one of your reviews… hehehe.. awww… though I do like the rain… it makes me want to sleep all day… hehehe.. thunder and lightning not included… hehehe… and yes, ayako does reciprocate the feeling… this chapter deals with Mitsui's explanation of where it all began… hehehe.. well not all cause Miyagi will contribute to some, now I'm thinking Haruko too… hehehe.. ok..

* * *

**Do You See Me?**

"Karin! Get the door!" Fine! I'll get it! I placed the dishes on the sink, washed my hands, wiped it dry with a towel before running to the door. Upon opening it, I saw you leaning with your back on the gate. You stood straight, turned, and saw me. As soon as you did, I hid behind the door, closing it.

I turned the tap on, scrubbed the dishes clean. "Who was outside?" My aunt went into a kitchen to get a glass of water. "Nobody." There it was again. "I hear someone." She made her way past the living room, to the main door, and stretched her hand to turn the knob. As soon as her hand came in contact with the doorknob, I covered hers with mine, halting her on the spot.

"Don't bother yourself. I'll do it. Later. Meanwhile, let's get you to bed." I took hold of both her shoulders and lead her away from the door. "But who's outside?" She protested. I kept on moving her forward, reassuring her that, "I'll get it after you're back in bed. Ok?" But she resisted, and the more she resisted, the less movement.

"Karin, you're not normal." She took both of my hands off of her shoulders, and authoritatively made her way to the door. "Aunt!" It was too late. She had opened it, had seen who was waiting.

I whistled a tune, pretended not to look. "Don't just stand there, go outside!" I shook my head once, walked a few steps, breaking into a run, and upon reaching my room, slammed the door shut.

I could hear her tug at the handle, only to find it locked. "Karin." She called, her voice faint. "Whatever happened, you now he'll stay there, build a camp until you confront him. It won't solve anything if you don't meet the problem." She was silent after that.

I could hear her draw farther away for a moment, followed by her drawing near again, a clinking sound escorting her return. She inserted it into the keyhole, could see my lock turning, and then she pulled it out, turning the doorknob, pushing it instantaneously, only to find out I was leaning on the door.

"Karin, you should really go." As if it's that easy – only if it was. Well, it's not. "At least you'll get your questions answered." Why did she have to say that? As a result, innumerable questions began to pop in my head, one after the other, my pop-up blocker becoming completely worthless.

I stood up, walked past her, through the door she left open. You lowered your head, placed both hands inside your pocket, kicking a pebble aside. As soon as I reached you, "Let's – go to – the park." What for? "Can't you – say what you want to say – right here?" Right now?

You looked back to our house, after that to the soles of your shoes, followed by a quick diminutive glance at me, finally settling for the ground. This isn't getting any easier for both of us.

I walked away, to where I think we were supposed to go. I guess I wasn't prepared to hear anything yet. You followed me, close behind, never too close, never to far, keeping your distance.

I slowly slowed down to your pace, letting you overtake me, for I was unsure which park it is. As you lead, and I followed, your pace a step ahead of me, I became aware that every step I took behind you was another step you took away from me.

I sat on the swing where we first met, 10 years ago, on a cool afternoon just after school. I could still feel the breeze back then, could still see the sun peek from behind the clouds and the trees, could still remember the smile you brought to my face. I didn't want to reminisce. I realized, as I caressed the same handles my small hands enclosed on, modest with every swing. We've both grown now. We both grew out of this seat.

"You know? Love? Enjoys surprises. One day, I'm okay. Everything's intact, and the next day, I wake up, and boom! It hits me. Didn't even see it coming." It hit me too, precisely on the right spot. Period. You said it in a way I am left without anything left to say. "Am I making any sense here?" Of course you are. Since, that's exactly what happened to me.

"I tried to prevent it. Deny it. Forget it. Change it. I tried all of that, but could I dictate my heart? Could I choose? If I could, I would've done it a long time ago, but the truth is, I can't." But the truth is that's not what I wanted to know from you. "Maybe-" Maybe this is it. "Maybe it's because she's kind yet mischievous at the same time, or because… we both enjoy spots, or because we're opposite… in the food we like to eat. But all of those don't mean anything." I have to agree. You can't love a person because they're this, or they're that, or because you have a reason to. What happens if you lose the reason, will you still love that person? Love shouldn't be attached to restriction.

I wanted to know the details, but I felt as if I was intruding too much. I knew I had to know, but… just because.

I left. I couldn't take it anymore. I could feel my ears heat up, unbeknownst to me, it was contagious, and soon my cheeks shared with its intensity. I left in search of the wind.

* * *

Ok.. not too much… but! Miyagi has a lot more stories… hehe… haruko's connection will be revealed too… 


	31. Chapter 30

Disclaimer: I do not own Slamdunk. I know that. This is just for formalities.. hehe.. Libre naman ang mangarap diba?

* * *

**Calliope Medina Erato:** yeah… well for me though, it's kinda hard, because I don't really know as in KNOW what love means to me, because I think it's like so deep, almost unfathomable for my brain to understand, to work out it's meanings, so when I wrote this I'm like… what to put… what to put… hehe… but I also heard in like a discussion about relationships like I'll love you if you're blah.. so kinda gave me the inspiration to put that… and I agree with you that it should be despite of… hehehe… I know… I was writing that… and hmm… I kinda compared it to a pop-up that are just so annoying sometimes and just keep on popping up even if you don't want them to… hehehe… aww… I didn't want you to remember your job… cause I want this to bring you somewhere else… and like give you a break… at least that's what I try to do… yeah… it is painful… that's why I ended it… and I didn't make her be like… so how did this happen. Where? When? You know… kinda a bit too much for someone who just supposedly became almost strangers with the way they act around each other… anyways, this chapter explains how everybody else gets affected… it's not only her…

**coffeemaverick**: aww… first of all, I just want to reassure you… this is only the beginning… I mean… there are more coming up? Hehehe… can you smell what I'm brewing here? Hehehe… well, this chapter will take a look on how the present situation has affected the others… it's not always about Karin and Mitsui… ryota, ayako… yeah.. you get the pic..

**dUeRrE:** uy! Musta na? Hehe.. salamat! Maikli nga sya masyado… kasi naman naman yata pwede para sa isang tao na alam nya ang lahat… so maraming mga butas… pero siyempre may nalalaman din siya galing sa ibang tao… mas mataas pa pala to kesa dun sa trust-walk chapter ko? Feeling ko second lang to… hehehe… hindi masyadong happy ending yung patutunguan nito… hehehe… salamat ulit! Sana magpatuloy ka sa pagbabasa ng fic ko! Hehehe…

**simmic**: yay! Hehehe… took me much longer to write because… well I had stuff to do.. hehe.. well not really that longer.. but longer than usual… I know… you made me run for my money back then… hehehe… well, as they say, expect the unexpected.. hehe.. I know… I was supposed to do it the other way around, but I'm thinking, Karin isn't really the one who wants to deliberately distance herself, it's more of their friendship slowly fading into the distance because of what's happened, and it's more of Mitsui not realizing that he is getting farther away from Karin, and that in fact, she's the one being left behind… something like that… I know… kinda goes back into the beginning and originally I was supposed to end it at that… well not like that but use the beginning as the ending… hehehe.. so that it'll become a story that has no beginning nor end… because you keep on repeating… but plans kinda changed… since I have another thing in mind… hehehe…

* * *

**Do You See Me?**

"Sempai!" The Sakuragi guntai greeted me with raised cards. They switched back to their game mode, shuffling the cards in their hands. "Sempai," Yohei dropped his cards, a full house. "Do you want to bet whether Haruko will dump Sakuragi or not?" Noma turned over his cards, giving up. I checked the area around me, looking left, right, then sighed in relief. I'm still alive. I moved in closer, and we huddled like football players on their last stretch.

"How much sempai?" All of a sudden, Okusu's fingers became itchy – itchy for some money. All screens were channelled to me. It made me feel like a poker player, I didn't know whether I was going to win the game, I did not know if they had an ace. I wiped off the sweat with the back of my hand. "10,000 yen for –" They no longer blinked, their breathe caught in mid-air. "For betting that Sakuragi and Haruko will end up together." Takamiya collapsed. It must be the stress.

I placed the 10,000-yen in the middle table. Their mirrored eyes reflected the money. Their hands were made of magnets, unconsciously inching closer to the cash. I woke them up by snatching the money from the tantalizing clasp of their eyes. They followed its course and upon discovering that it had ended its journey in my hands, they were restored to their original mental state of being. Takamiya woke up.

"What are you guys doing?" Everybody, don't say a thing. Not even a word. A letter. Don't even try to. Even want to. Just, keep your mouth to yourself. Or else – "We were just betting if Haruko will dump Sakuragi." Takamiya went back to bed.

I told you – "Hello Sakuragi." He eyed the money suspiciously, a match lighting the fire in his eyes. I hid it before taking it even crossed your mind. "Sempai, what was that for?" Without noticing it, I tightened the hold in my bag. "What?" Sakuragi pointed to where my hand rested. "My bag?" The veins in his forehead became distinct. I think my 30-second memory act doesn't work with him. "To pay for rent." It was the truth! Nothing but the whole truth! So help me God. I shifted the bag behind me.

"Hey! Rukawa!" Excuse me. I hurried to reach him. "Rukawa, how's it going?" His lids started to droop. "Wait! This is important! There's a basketball practice this afternoon, ok?" Rukawa leaned on the wall, his head almost rolling off his neck. "Yeah. See you there." He slept while standing up. "I'm off!" What kind of excuse was that Karin? Duh! Of course he knows that. Basketball's the only subject he could leave open eyelids open for.

Basketball practice was as uncomfortable as sandpaper. It seemed to me there was an invisible force that kept a 10-meter gap between you and Miyagi. As I watched the practice game, Miyagi almost never passed the ball to you. You returned the favour with equal fervour. And that's why Akagi kept both you and Miyagi after all's said and done. Ayako joined herself in the conversation. The rest? Dismissed.

"It's just too bad it had to result in this." The voice belonged to Haruko. "How'd you know?" Her eyes widened at this, faced me in a slow motion, followed by a fast forward gasp. "No- it's nothing." She quickly shouldered her bag. "See you sempai." Even at her departure I could still hear her scold herself. "Haruko! Just – resist the temptation to blurt things out."

Tap. Tap. Tap. "Did Mitsui send you here to baby-sit me?" I didn't go here on purpose. I just happened to pass by here. There's a big difference between deliberate and chance. "You can say to Mitsui that he doesn't have to worry, since I don't intend to kill him." I hid my laughter, laughing out loud inwardly to my inner self. "What you mean to say is, as long as Ayako's around." He reached inside his pocket and came around with a coin, flipping it. "Exactly."

I looked at your eyes, followed the trail to where they went, its final destination still being Ayako.

"I never really knew when it all started. All I knew was that, during the Valentine's week, I searched the school for her, found them at the back of the school, her face resting comfortably on Mitsui's shoulder. They had been in fact chained." The strings inside my head began to unwind. "Then, on Valentine's day, I opened her locker, only to find out that a bouquet had been set for her, already occupying the space, it came from him." The image of them speaking to each other after school, and the cold later and yeah remark that ended the conversation emerged from the murky depths of my library.

"Then, when he was carrying Ayako unconscious because some thugs wanted to take advantage of her," He was lying on the ground, a shoe grinding its imprint on his face. "And when Ayako had food poisoning, I've never seen him so worried before, and so reluctant on handing her over to me. After that, he visited every single day, trying to hide in the corners, but his shadow was never absent."

"And when she was stuck in the rain one time, I went to approach her, but Mitsui arrived ahead of me, already drenched even though on top of his head was an umbrella, and he walked her home." I waited for a call that did not arrive. "And that time at the library, Ayako was angry at me because I confronted Mitsui one time about it, and so when I refused to help her, that was because Mitsui arrived. I wasn't needed anymore." We lowered ourselves until we reached the corner. "And of course, his changes. He's much more motivated in basketball, improving tremendously in his skills. All these changes… it seems he wanted to be someone who he thought was worth of her love."

I found my neck reflexively finding her face amidst the crowd of raindrops. I could clearly see the frown in her face, in her eyes. It was raining yet again. Mitsui arrived, an umbrella in one hand. As soon as your eyes met, one hand reached to hold her shoulder, the other caressing her arm. Ayako wiped the tear with a finger, your hand encircled on her neck, bringing her closer, offering a shoulder to cry on.

"Where is she?" I forgot. This was real. This was reality. My eyes narrowed in curiosity. "You know, that girl that'll tempt me to plot an evil plan with her?" It was time for a reality check. "Do you really think, she'll come?" I looked him straight in the eye; spoke to him in a manner that needed no words, needing but only a few seconds, before he broke away from my gaze. "No."


	32. Epilogue

Disclaimer: I do not own Slamdunk. I know that. This is just for formalities.. hehe.. Libre naman ang mangarap diba?

* * *

**Coffeemaverick:** hehehe… this is the last update for part one! Hehehe… and well, it's not the end! Because I have a coughsequelcough hehehe… in this chapter, there's another mystery to unfold… hehehe.. I like mysteries… hehe..

**Magenta blues**: hello! Thank you for reading and reviewing my fic! Heheh.. I think they (mitxaya) look good together too… though of course I wouldn't mind at all if it was (miyxaya) but in my fic it's mitxaya… and about Mitsui being like that in Chap 31. it's because things aren't that easy for the two of them right now… you know… you don't want to hurt your friends but then, you also have these feelings to deal with… and sometimes, things like that are hard to compromise.. and that's why I wanted his understanding, caring, even vulnerable side, to sort of show… and if you have some dialogues you would wish me to clarify… don't hesitate to ask..

**Simmic**: well… there's more… actually, there's one more… hehe.. not funny… I know… but! It's good… well to me it is… hehehe…

* * *

A/N: chapter 30 edited… I forgot to include one little thing in chapter 30… and that is the time when Miyagi refused to help Ayako and said she doesn't need it… it was because Mitsui had already arrived, and so he felt he wasn't really needed… and if your wondering still about haruko, if she knows what's going on, but is not the only that mitsui likes, sends him messages, then she must be the bridge... sorta...

* * *

**Do You See Me?**

It was there in the presence of the falling cherry blossoms, the cool air that brushed against my cheek, of the last warmth's of the retreating sun, that we first treaded the path that would become a path that we would cross for days, months, and years after that. Then we ourselves are lost in it.

"Let's go." I don't think, this time, I'll go with you. We walked through the same road at a snail's pace, taking in everything, just to make it last. Though nothing lasts forever. Now here we are, at the end of our road, its end forked. Right or left. It became inevitable.

A decade of friendship has both been an awfully yet joyful, short yet long time. It started with a second: a turn. A minute: a glance. An hour: a look. It started with a day, that gradually yet instantaneously became days, weeks, months, years, a decade. Our footsteps one after the other, out of synchrony, but at the same time creating a melody of an irregular beat of drums. As you lead, and I followed, your pace a step ahead of me, I became aware that every step I took behind you was another step you took away from me.

Yet we still walked, walking along the path that became a merge of lives, though I never realized when I let go of yours and when you released mine. Though you did, you left it there, hanging. I released my hold on you, the crowd filling in the space that grew between us, and soon, we would be lost, lost alone. It is hard to see you, and soon I see you not at all, and so I walk, walk alone.

It is time for me to let go of these masks – the masks that stayed with me every single hour, minute, second, millisecond of the day. They were neither beginning nor end. They were neither truth nor lies. They were neither reality nor fantasy. They were that good. Even you cannot see past them. Even I find it hard to.

Everything was organized, I knew what you were to me, I knew the feelings I held for you, and now, the puzzle became new to me. I had to put the pieces together with not a single clue as to what it might be.

5 minutes late. I was late. 10 minutes late. I am too late. 15 minutes late. The fact still remains. I am already late. It was already too late.

I cried. I cried in front of you because I knew I couldn't love you. Here I am, beside you, yet I cannot embrace you. Because I was there, standing in front of you, yet you never saw me. Tell me, am I stupid for saying 'I love you?'

I wished I could put ice in my heart, to numb it, so I wouldn't be hurt. So I wouldn't feel the hurt. So I could avoid the hurt. So I could ignore it. So I could pretend it didn't hurt. So I could run away. So I wouldn't have to care. So I could forget, for even just a moment.

Maybe that is all I will ever be, a friend. No, that is what I always had been, a friend. I will not be seen as anything else, even If I wait today, tomorrow, a lifetime. And if that is as close as I can get to your heart, I will smile, for it is better to have met and befriended you, than have not met you altogether.

I set the paper ablaze. Watched as the fire ate along its edges. Watched it slowly disintegrate. Watched the writings painstakingly vanish. Watched the smoke carry it, watched the ashes become of it - where only the heavens would know, and the earth, keep.

I sat, waited for the sun to rise. I wanted to cry, one last time, but I couldn't, so the rain cried for me. I could feel it dampen my clothing, soak my skin, trickle to my soul. But soon, I could no longer feel the tears, though I could still see them. I did not move. "Hey, are you blind?" A hand waved in front of me. A jolt travelled to my head. "Ok, so you're not." I longed to be alone, and yet, I cannot be. I turned to fully look at him. I could only hear the raindrops tapping on his umbrella. And soon I was all alone, alone with you. "Hey, quit staring at me like I can't see you. "'Cause I can." Funny, that was the answer I longed to hear from you.

He was the reason I stopped crying. He was the something, the anything, and the everything that made me forget. He was.

* * *

Owari…. Owari ja nai yo! Hehehe.. Um… familiar words? Hehehe… yes, their almost like a collection of quotations that I picked out… but some of the quotations actually take on a different meaning… Hehe… um… the other question now is… who helped her? That is another story to tell.. hehehe.. guess though! Hehehe.. 


End file.
